EDITOR’S NOTE: An article by well-known Australian journalist Geraldine Willesee appeared in several Australian newspapers over the weekend of 23-24 February 2013 reporting her experience of sexual abuse by the late Fr Brian Harris when she was a 14-year-old student in Perth in the early 1960s.
At the time the below article on Fr Harris was published, The Record was unaware of any allegations of sexual abuse made about Fr Brian Harris, or any other criminal behaviour, and was not made aware of any such allegations by anyone, then or subsequently.
Had we been aware, this report and others like it would not have been written and published.
We have made the decision, for now, to leave this and other articles about Fr Brian Harris on our website, not because we think them an accurate reflection, but for the record and pending further advice from the Archdiocese of Perth. Any articles relating to Fr Harris will carry this editorial advisory note.
In welcoming the Royal Commission into institutional responses to the sexual abuse of children last year, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB described the sexual abuse of minors as “a terrible scourge in our community”.
“It is both a crime and an attack on the innocence and vulnerability of children and young people,” Archbishop Costelloe said last November.
“I reiterate my determination that the Catholic Church in Perth will do everything in its power to work with others to address this most urgent of issues.”
Peter Rosengren
Editor, The Record
23 February, 2013
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
Well-known priest Fr Brian Harris, former parish priest of Our Lady Help of Christians Church, East Victoria Park, for 25 years, died on May 2 at the Little Sisters of the Poor home in Glendalough. He was 81.
On Saturday, May 5, Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey concelebrated a Pontifical Requiem Mass for the repose of Fr Harris’ soul, with Fr Pat Cunningham and Fr Brian McKenna, at Our Lady Help of Christians Church.
About 40 priests were in attendance and the church was full, according to MC Fr Gavin Gomez, parish priest of St Bernadette’s Parish, Port Kennedy.
Fr Harris received his Papal Cross pro ecclesia et pontifice on November 12, 2009, awarded by Pope Benedict XVI for his 56 years’ service to the Church as a priest.
Retired priest Fr Pat Cunningham told The Record that Fr Harris grew up in Leederville and was a great person to know.
Fr Harris went to school at St Mary’s Convent of Mercy, Leederville, then CBC, Leederville, then entered the seminary.
The influence of the priests of his childhood, while he was an altar server, helped him decide on his vocation to the priesthood.
He was the eldest child with one brother and three sisters and plenty of nieces and nephews, some of whom he later baptised.
He trained for the priesthood at St Charles’ Seminary, Guildford, from 1944-49, entering at the age of 14, and at St Patrick’s College, Manly, from 1950-53.
He was 23 when he was ordained on July 25, 1953 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth by Bishop Launcelot Goody with Archbishop Redmond Prendiville in attendance.
After stints at St Mary’s Cathedral, being chaplain to nurses for six years, with three years at Shenton Park, assistant priest at Kalgoorlie, Osborne Park, and South Perth, he became first parish priest at Armadale in 1970 for six years.
He spent 12 years at St Jerome’s, Spearwood, then went to East Victoria Park in 1984 as parish priest.“God is very good; the highlight is the people I was given to serve – it was a delight to serve the people of God,” Fr Harris said in 2009.
Fr Harris became a renowned chaplain at Royal Perth Hospital, Fr Cunningham said, with an excellent memory for faces and names.
“He was interested in people, particularly those suffering from a particular difficulty and he was a good pastor.”
“He was a very good example for people who had diabetes, and was an inspiration for other diabetes sufferers,” Fr Cunningham said (Fr Harris was a dedicated president of the Diabetes Association of WA).
Fr Harris officiated at thousands of weddings and baptisms, which he enjoyed, with his extroverted nature, wonderful sense of humour and powerful baritone singing voice.