LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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I first met departing principal of St Patrick's College John Crowley at a meeting of stakeholders before the royal commission started.
John was new into the role, and I would say pretty green when it came to the whole abuse scandal.
But from the start he was keen to do what he could to help.
This was the start of many meetings, coffees and discussions that Peter Blenkiron and myself had with him.
The first thing he did was look for a way to show the victims that they were supported.
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He ended up going with the idea of tying ribbons to the school fence to show support.
This was a simple idea that allowed anyone in the community to show support.
The Courier did a story the week before the hearings started where he was pictured tying the first ribbon on the fence, and asked for the community to join him.
By the morning of the first hearing, the St Pat's school fence, the gates at the Cathedral, the trees out the front of the courts, the old St Alipius school and the bridge in Victoria Street were all covered in ribbons, and this was reported in the media and mentioned by the commissioners.
We wore ribbons on our lapels as well to the hearings.
Eventually others took over and continued this, which is now Loud Fence, and it has become an international community driven movement.
Never forget that John started this.
John attended every Ballarat hearing.
It was clear that he struggled with what he heard, but he kept coming.
He spoke to victims, copped some abuse on behalf of the school, but he listened.
At the end of the hearings it was clear that John had been deeply affected, and he struggled somewhat reconciling his faith, his role and what he had heard.
But he didn't stop.
Over the decades St Pat's had tried to keep the abuse stories hidden.
Excuses were made, and nothing was ever done.
The first thing he did was publicly say that the abuses happened at the school, and that this was a part of the school history.
He met with survivors, and asked them what they needed.
He attended meetings as a support person with survivors, and he stood up to the church when it was clear that they were not acting the way they should.
There were many who were not happy with the stand he took, and I am aware of some who tried to have John removed from his role.
Why? They saw this as an attack on the Catholic church.
John saw it as a chance to right the wrongs of the past and to help those affected, including the wider community. He saw this as a part of his faith, and as what not only should be done, but needed to be done.
While the hearings were on, he helped to facilitate support for victims.
This may have been helping get lawns mowed or grocery cards, but it was the start of practical solutions.
Eventually this was to become a pastoral care program that not only benefited the victims, but the wider school community.
For example, if someone needed dental work, there was a contact at the school who would talk to former students who were dentists first to see if they could help etc.
Simple yet effective.
Or imagine a student whose family might have problems.
An idea might be that the boy could stay in the boarding house for a while the parents get counselling etc.
This not only helps the student, but the wider community.
Real action, real support and a commitment to providing help.
It has made the St Pat's community of students, parents and old collegians a real community.
The communication with former students has also been something that has been taken to the next level, with help and support offered if needed.
Then there was the formal apology from the school to survivors, along with a permanent memorial on Sturt St so that this will not be forgotten.
There are also activities held with students, and John has crossed out all of the names of offenders on the many boards around the school.
History is very important at St Pat's.
The corridors are adorned with plaques and photos, and now the worst of the history is there for all to see.
Once its acknowledged and in the open, it is unlikely to happen again.
When the governments put new laws into place for child safety, John looked upon these as the minimum that should be required.
He implemented a program of a tougher standard to ensure that not only the school would be safer today, but that if a child was abused outside of the school that he could be helped.
John looked at child safety as an entire package whereby the students total safety and wellbeing was what should be aspired to, not just for the school hours.
John worked with people outside of the Catholic system to put in place the best system he could.
When George Pell was convicted, John acted swiftly to rename a wing named after Pell.
He said that it was not appropriate to have Pell as a role model for the students. It was decisive action putting the students first.
He copped a lot of flak, and a lot of personal abuse for this.
Sadly there are many who put tradition and the name of the church above anything else.
John did what was right, not what would appease others.
I have children that have friends at St Pat's, and from speaking to them, I can tell you that he is liked and respected by those students.
I have spoken to other school principals and leaders who tell me the same.
You only had to watch John when he gave evidence to the Royal Commission to see the difference between him and others who gave evidence that day.
The others made excuses, and showed a lack of compassion and empathy.
John made no excuses, and looked for solutions.
If others followed this example the outcome for survivors would be vastly different, and we wouldn't have seen a situation like the one at St Kevin's.
When the former Christian Brothers schools met in Canberra for their national apology, John spoke about not just apologising with words, but with actions.
Sadly, he has been one of the few who have done so.
He has proven himself to be a true leader.
The world has many leaders, but few inspire people and show real leadership.
John is one who fits that mould.
He is viewed as a bit of a maverick in the church, but he has cemented his place in the history of Ballarat.
Whenever the child sexual abuse scandal is looked upon in the future, John will be mentioned as someone who changed the culture at St Pat's, and who put together a model that every school in Australia should follow.
He came to Ballarat as a good teacher and principal but he rose to the occasion and leaves as an exceptional leader.
The school and the community of Ballarat remember people who made a difference by erecting statues, naming places after them etc.
I hope that they honour John while he still alive, because he has had an impact on this town and its residents that will resonate through the decades.
I am sad that he is going, and selfishly I want him to stay.
But he has been recognised as a man who can heal wounds, change cultures and put children first.
St Kevin's will be a better place for it, and a generation of me will be better off for him being there.
He has become a son of Ballarat, and I am thankful that our paths crossed and for his support and friendship.
He gave me and many other survivors our school back and made us a part of the St Pat's community again.
I can now say with pride that I'm an old collegian of St Pat's.
Andrew Collins is a sexual abuse survivor and victims' advocate
Crowley leaves behind a powerful legacy
In 2015, three old friends and I took an idea to St Pat's to put something in place to honour the memory of our old mate whom we had recently and tragically buried due to suicide.
St Pat's was our common denominator, we really didn't have much of an idea what we wanted to do, or what form it might take.
That's where we meet John Crowley, not long in his job.
It had been over thirty years since some of us had stepped through those iron gates, most of us hadn't even sent our boys to the school.
We had effectively disengaged ourselves from the school.
Some of us had every right to do so, there were a plethora of personal stories.
But John seemed intent on listening to us and to our surprise embraced our concept of assisting fathers with a mental health issue so that their sons' education would not be put at risk.
Our fund has grown from strength to strength and we have assisted at least ten families with educating their son's.
Our fourth Brekky broke all of our attendance records and with the funds raised, we are now looking to take the Brekky to Melbourne.
None of this could have happened without John's support. St Kevin's could not be in a better set of prepared hands.
John is a humble man who wouldn't be interested in any of this acclamation, but what he has achieved in effectively re-engaging this particular cohort from 1981 cannot be underestimated.
Simon Dwyer, Wendouree.