Sacred Heart Parish priest Father James Byrne accused of rape

A man is suing the Catholic Diocese for $1.7 million, alleging it failed in its duty of care to provide a safe place for young students by employing a priest who allegedly raped him dozens of times inside a church. The priest has served all over Queensland.

A man has alleged Fr James Byrne, formally of the Sacred Heart Parish in Wilsonton, raped him up to 30 times while he was a student of a Toowoomba Catholic primary school in the late 2000s.

The record of long-serving Toowoomba priest, Father James Byrne, has been called into question after a man filed a lawsuit accusing the now-deceased church leader of raping him when he was a young boy.

In a statement of claim filed in the Toowoomba Supreme Court, the man who requested anonymity, alleges Father Byrne raped him on 20-30 occasions while he was serving as parish priest at Sacred Heart Church in the late 2000s.

The man, who was a primary student of a Toowoomba Catholic school at the time, said it was part of the curriculum to attend mass at least once a week.

It is alleged Father Byrne would ask the man when he was in primary school to stay behind to help fold up kneeling cushions after the students had left.

The statement alleged on more than 20 occasions Father Byrne would force the boy to give or receive oral sex, or rape him.

Father Byrne retired from his position several years later and moved to Ireland in 2013 where he died in December 2020.

Fr Byrne was the parish priest of the Sacred Heart Church in Wilsonton for more than 30 years.

A man has alleged Fr James Byrne, formally of the Sacred Heart Parish in Wilsonton, raped him up to 30 times while he was a student of a Toowoomba Catholic primary school in the late 2000s.

After being ordained in 1964, he ministered in Toowoomba, Quilpie and Warwick before becoming a full-time military chaplain at Kapooka, Wagga Wagga, Enoggera and Townsville between 1975 and 1980.

Along with his main role at Sacred Heart, Fr Byrne was also the chaplain at St Andrew’s Hospital for 32 years and at Baillie Henderson Hospital for 20 years.

He was also integral to the foundation of the police chaplaincy in Queensland during the Fitzgerald Inquiry during the 1980s.

The lawsuit has been brought against the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba with the man seeking $1.7 million in damages.

The statement alleges the man has suffered pain and scarring, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression disorder and social anxiety disorder.

The damages include $350,000 for past loss of income and $1.1 million in future loss of income and the psychological injuries have limited his advancement in his chosen profession.

The statement of claim alleges the Catholic Diocese had a duty of care to not expose children to risk of injury and ensure all people it employed did not pose a risk to such children.

It is further alleged that the diocese was aware of the risk posed by leaving students unattended with staff as it was common knowledge that church personnel, including priests, have ‘frequently perpetrated sexual abuse against children.

The statement alleges the school failed to educate children about how to report abuse, or to have adequate procedures to investigate and respond promptly and appropriately to such reports.

The Toowoomba Diocese declined to comment on the matter as it was before the courts.

“However, the Diocese reiterates its commitment to supporting survivors of abuse and repairing the wrongs of the past,” a spokesman said.