Business: Residence:

,. -DIOCESAN OFFICE The Chancery Office THE CHANCERY 168 William Street P.O. Box 611 Rockhampton Qld 4700

Phone: (079) 22 1218 Fax: (079) 21 3935

01 October 1997

Dear Father

Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton Australia

172 West Street P.O. Box 611 Rockhampton Qld 4700

Phone: (079) 27 8039

The Rockhampton Sisters of Mercy - are offering an Apology to the aggrieved former residents of St Joseph's Home, Neerkol. This apology has been accepted by the N eerkol Action Support Group Committee and was overwhelmingly endorsed by the members of the Sisters' Congregation. Both regard it as an important step in the reconciliation and healing process.

The Children's Commissioner for Queensland, Mr Norm Alford, will release it to the media on the weekend 04/ 05 October. That its publication does not cause undue concern, Sister Di-Anne has requested that the Bishop distribute it to you in advance and he readily agreed to do so. Would you please respect the embargo on the enclosed copy, until its public release.

Holy Father's Meeting with Families - The Australian Bishop's Secretariat has also issued a Media Release in connection with this coming Sunday, the final day of the Holy Father's meeting with families in Rio de Janeiro. It is self­explanatory and its simple suggestion of rediscovering the joy and value of a family meal may easily be brought to the people attention at Mass this weekend. The Eucharist at which we do so is particUlarly important for it is where the family of God is nourished especially. Possibly, some added thought may also accompany its celebration.

Father Bill Collins - left a legacy for Masses "for the repose of his soul". With the enclosed cheque, would you please offer five (5) Masses for him at your earliest convenience, or otherwise arrange for the celebration.

Franciscan Sisters - If you are considering the offer to which the Bishop referred in his letter of 19 September for the presence of the two Franciscan Sisters in your parish next year, I would need to know promptly as their Congregational Team Leader's meeting is fixed for 17 / 18 October.

Trusting you are well.

I remain Yours sincerely

d(,~-~ -~ c..... Fr John Grace -Chancellor & Episcopal Vicar for Administration

CTJH.200.02168.0052

MERCY ADMINISTRATION CENTRE

ROCKHAMPTON CONGREGATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY OF AUSTRALIA

25 September 1997

THE RANGE, 263 AGNES STREET, ROCKHAMPTON Q. 4700

P.O. BOX 1576, ROCKHAMPTON Q. 4700

TEL: 079·271866 FAX: 079· 22 3040

We, the Rockhampton Sisters of Mercy, wish to apologise unreservedly to you the former residents of St Joseph's Home Neerkol, who were victims of physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual abuse.

We recognise the pain that many of you suffered because we did not offer you the basic love and affection that every child in our care deserved. We also acknowledge that we should have provided you with more food, clothing and warmth. We regret the mistakes that were made through policies and practices, such as, the physical separation of brothers and sisters in dormitories which added to your loneliness and isolation.

Having had the opportunity to listen to some of your experiences and hear the instances of brutality you describe, we have been helped to understand the hurt, humiliation and pain you suffered, and continue to suffer daily throughout your lives. We acknowledge it is time to recognise the unprovoked, unnecessary and ongoing abuses you endured, and we are sorry that we failed to imagine how you must have felt being subjected to such unwarranted physical suffering.

It must be said that there were many Sisters and other people who did accomplish much good but this offers us little comfort in the face of the pain of you who were hurt.

Indeed, as we hear of your life experiences which contradicted all that we believe in, we regret that our initial reaction to what you were saying was scepticism and disbelief. We regret that this caused you hurt and we realise now how important it is for people to be able to share their individual life experiences with us.

We are deeply sorry for the hurt that was caused but unfortunately we cannot change the past, and yet we appreciate that the memories of the past are still affecting you and your families today.

We are committed to offering you' whatever practical support that we are able to provide. To this end we have established a Professional Standards Committee offering a range of practical assistance measures including independent and confidential counselling, we have provided the funding requested by the Victims of Crime Association of Queensland to support witnesses at court hearings and we have funded for a specified period of time the expenses you requested for the Neerkol Action Support Group.

We now offer this apology in the hope that it will be of further help and comfort to you the former residents of St Joseph's Home, Neerkol.

Sr Di-Anne Rowan RSM Congregational Leader· Rockhampton Sisters of Mercy

CTJH.200.02168.0053

+15 1-624760:33 CATHiJL I ': B I :::;H!]P:3 :328 P(1l / (l3 :;:,EP 26' '37 15: 16

Embargoed 1I1'1til29 September 1997

Turn otTyour TV's & Telephones and sit down for a fan1ily meal on Sllnday 5 October!

The Bishops' Committee fo)' the FamiJy and for Life asks all Australian families to take

tinle out to rediscover the joy of the fam.ily meal on Sunday 5 October 1997.

The call from the Bishops' Committee coincides with the tlnal day of the Holy Father's II

World Meeting of Families being held i.n Rio de Janiero from 1·5 October.

Chainnm,1 of the Bishops' Committee for Family and for Life, Archbishop Leo11a.l'd Faulkner,

explains, "By a 'family meal' we m.ean a regular m;;.al where as many members of the

household as possible participate; a ,111eal that is m,ore than an eat and run affair; where

communication and prayer are developed and where family members and visitors feel accepted and enjoyed for who they are" .

Recent literacy levels have sparked outrage directed towards tlle education sector, but c.m it

b~ (~C)mplete1y to blame'? In his book "Adolescent Competence Elnd Sexual Disadvantage", Dr

o EugaI', former Dire~tor of the Australian Instit\Jte of Family Studies, found that "in families

that spent mealtimes gathered aroLll1d the table and promoted disc'ussioll during this time, the

children emerged with a higher level of communication and a greater success rate in both their academ.ic and personal lives".

The family is often described as the basic living cdl of society; We continually hear of

reports in society and [be media that the Australian family is breaking dovv'll • eroding society,

The Bishops' Committee for Family and for Life asks tb.at all Australian families take this

opportunity to analyse and evaluate the amount and quality of time given 1:0 the family and the

levd of priority it holds in their liv~s.

"focussing on the family meal as a core activity in 11ft may not solve aIJ problems ~xJ.'(;rienced by families," said Archbishop Faulkner. "But we all h1.we to ear so why not do it

together with laughter, happiness and a sense of belonging, not only to one another as a family but to God's family as vvell."

For ap interview please contact: Jackie BR.a..DY on (2) 6201 98.59 or 0418) 214756. GPO Box 368 CANBERRA ACT 2601 Mobile: 0418 214 752

rllone; 06) 201 9859 Fax; 06} 247 2579 ~maH; media@catholic.org.au

26/09 '97 14:17 TX/RX NO,3949 P,OOl •

CTJH.200.02168.0054