Ballarat Catholic Diocese Vicar-general Justin Driscoll tied bright coloured ribbons to the gates of St Patrick's Cathedral in Sturt Street on Wednesday. Father Driscoll said the gesture was a symbol of solidarity with clergy sexual abuse victims. 

“The ribbons on the fence can say many things,” Father Driscoll said. “What I hope these ribbons say is that here in this place, in this parish and in this church, we support and believe those who were abused as children by clergy.”

It’s not the first time, Father Driscoll has tied ribbons to the gates. But, he said it was the first time he’d been captured doing so.

“The Loud Fence is an anonymous gesture and there are many people in the community who are quietly expressing their public support for all those affected by the abuse,” Father Driscoll said. 

A Loud Fence Facebook post depicting an image of Father Driscoll tying a ribbon to the gates of the cathedral was “liked” by more than 700 people and “shared” almost 70 times. It also sparked a groundswell of support from the community. Creator of Loud Fence Ballarat, Maureen Hatcher, said the image had reached almost 30,000 people. She said the gesture was a powerful public statement of support. It come days after ribbons were tied to a wooden gate at the front of the Vatican in Rome. 

"It is a gesture which publicly acknowledges what happened to victims," Ms Hatcher said. "Unless you're a regular churchgoer, you might not realise, clergy often voice support for survivors during a homily at a mass. But this goes further to break down the mentality of "us and them." It shows the wider community outside the church that clergy are supporting survivors."

Social media was flooded with comments praising the gesture. “That is leadership from the heart and walking the talk,” Betsy-Sue Clarke posted. Another supporter, Catherine Barrett, said she was moved to tears by the image.  

Jo Ussing said she hoped it would set a precedent. “I believe there are many priests and others in the clergy who abhor what has happened,” she wrote. “Kudos to Father Justin Driscoll. I hope you are the first of many.” Father Driscoll said the diocese had a hired a professional who was exploring how the ribbons could be made a permanent fixture on the grounds of the church. Ballarat Bishop Paul Bird said he wholeheartedly backed any move which supported victims of sexual abuse.  

“It (Loud Fence) is a symbol which supports survivors in a very tangible and visible way,” he said. “Any way which people can show their support for survivors who have been through a very difficult experience and are still suffering is a very good thing.” Bishop Bird said it was reflective of the support for survivors shared by clergy leaders across the diocese.