Over the next three weeks, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual abuse will sit at the Ballarat law courts. 

Paedophile priests and their victims will be required to provide insight into heinous offending which took place at local institutions including the former St Alipius Christian Brothers School, St Alipius Parish, St Joseph’s Home, St Patrick’s College, the former St Patrick’s Christian Brothers Boys Primary School and other Catholic Church-run institutions.

The Courier’s investigation of this sordid topic has already uncovered some horrendous stories, none more tragic than revelations in 2012 that at least 40 Ballarat victims had taken their lives due the abuse suffered at the hands of priests including Robert Best, Gerard Ridsdale, Bryan Coffey, Paul Ryan, and Edward Dowlan. 

It is difficult to imagine that we could learn anything worse than this over the next three weeks. 

The sad reality is that we more than likely will hear worse. 

As lawyer Penny Savidis, who represents many of the victims, said on Friday: “This is just the tip of the iceberg”, adding there were still many more victims.

“It was systemic abuse,” she said.

As many in the community have said, the information sure to be revealed during the inquiry will put Ballarat on the map for all the wrong reasons. 

Our journalists will be at the forefront of reporting on the inquiry and will strive to provide readers with everything they need to know. 

It will not be easy to report on and it will not be easy to read. But our community must learn how, and why, this happened. 

We must also learn what to do next. 

The Courier will on Monday publish a package of stories from reporter Fiona Henderson, detailing important aspects leading up to the inquiry. 

We hope readers pay close attention to Monday’s stories and, should they require it, access the many avenues of help available.