THESE are the words of Geelong's outspoken Catholic priest,
Father Kevin Dillon, in response to news this week of a royal commission
into institutional abuse.Only the truth, Father Dillon said, would set his church free.
And a royal commission was welcome, "if that's what it takes" to uncover the truth and deliver justice to victims.
The impassioned words are at odds with those of his superior, Australia's top Catholic priest, Cardinal George Pell, who said many abuse claims involving the church had been exaggerated by the media, or were ancient history.
But, as Father Dillon told ABC radio on Wednesday, he has previously disagreed with members of the Catholic Church hierarchy on this matter.
A long-time critic of the church's handling of abuse cases, Father Dillon, of Geelong's St Mary's Basilica, said on radio that abuse allegations had, quite rightly, "brought the church to its knees".
He told the Geelong Advertiser abuse claims had not always been well managed.
"It's been a very ugly area, certainly for the Catholic Church and other churches as well," Father Dillon said. "We're not the only ones, but we seem to have a more difficult and unhappy record than many others. And one of the things which has brought this about has been the frustration, anger and disappointment of victims when they have come forward to seek support and respite from the church and found themselves at best disappointed and unrecognised and at worst ... re-traumatised by the whole experience. That would indicate things in this area are a long, long, long way from where they should be."
Father Dillon said it was upsetting it had taken so long for an independent inquiry into the handling of abuse claims to be announced.
"I think it's a matter of distress to Catholics that it's taken a royal commission and this long for an external examination of the processes to be put forward," he said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday called for a royal commission into child sexual abuse, pledging to not only investigate those who committed abuse but also those who turned a blind eye.
Ms Gillard said the inquiry would cover all religious organisations, schools, government bodies and non-profit groups.
She said it would also examine the response of institutions, children's services, police and the legal system.
"Child sexual abuse is a vile thing, it's an evil thing," Ms Gillard said. "It's done by evil people, but what we've seen, too, I think, in recent revelations, it's not just the evil of the people who do it. There has been a systemic failure to respond to it and to better protect children."
Ms Gillard said the royal commission should be set up by the end of the year and start work in the new year.
Father Dillon told ABC radio he had counselled more than 30 church abuse victims and the experience had influenced his views.
"When you're talking to people who have been through a lifelong hell based on their experiences within a trusted organisation, at the hands of trusted people, it does colour your perspective," he said.
Father Dillon said most parishioners supported his stance and were encouraging him to continue being outspoken in the fight for justice for victims.
"Parishioners have gone out of their way to say, 'We're glad that you're having something to say'," he said.
Father Dillon said it was the Catholic Church's mission to offer love and support to all its members, including those who had walked away from the church because of its handling of abuse claims.
He said for every perpetrator of abuse there were often many victims, and for every victim there were about 20 family members who also suffered.
Father Dillon said he did not agree with Cardinal Pell that the media had played up instances of abuse within the church.
"Most Catholics are rather grateful to the media for a focus on something which they find enormously shameful and greatly distressing," he told Jon Faine. "But most of all, of course, for the people who have been directly concerned - and that is the victims themselves - I think the media has played a very important and very positive role in all this."
While "bitter and gut-wrenching", the 2007 independent inquiry into church abuse in Ireland had helped people move forward and start afresh, Father Dillon told the Geelong Advertiser
"Reports I've read indicate that at long last the church (in Ireland) is starting to find its way under a new and different circumstance," he said. "People are starting to gain a sense of confidence back in the church which has, of course, been diabolically shattered over the revelations of the degree of abuse that was there."