A survivor of industrial school abuse, who took to the pulpit to call for a national day of atonement, has urged priests to give survivors an opportunity to speak to their fellow parishioners.

It was Christopher Heaphy’s quiet dignity and his simple message that will resonate with the 100 or so people gathered at 11am Mass in Aglish Church yesterday.

For decades survivors of horrific abuse at our industrial schools have essentially been demeaned as ingrates, because they did not appreciate what the religious authorities running those schools did for them. All that many were asking for was the right to be heard and listened to when they spoke about their abuse.