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  Priest Too Ill to Front Court over Alleged Sexual Abuse of Students

Cowra Community News
June 25, 2009

http://cowracommunitynews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=3006&id=47

A CATHOLIC priest charged with indecently assaulting boys from Bathurst’s St Stanilaus College has heart problems and is too ill to face court, a Sydney court heard yesterday (Thursday).

Hugh Edward Murray, 79, of Marsfield, was arrested and charged on Tuesday with five counts of indecently assaulting three students of the boarding school.

Murray was excused from attending Downing Centre Local Court on August 20 when the adjourned matter again comes before the court.

Meanwhile, alleged victims of sex abuse at the college say they are angry the school is hosting the ordination of a new bishop for the region today (Friday) while police investigations are still underway.

More than 1000 guests, including Archbishop Cardinal George Pell, will gather at the school for the first ordination of a bishop in Bathurst Diocese in almost 90 years.

A spokesman for the diocese says the ordination of Michael McKenna is an extremely significant day for the Catholic Church and the Bathurst community.

He says parliamentarians, heads of other faiths and local authorities will be attending.

But the ceremony’s location has offended some.

One former St Stanislaus student, and an alleged victim of abuse during his time there in the 1980s, says he is shocked by the decision.

“I'm just really angry that they can justify having something – I mean the Catholic Church – how they can put on such an important event at a site at somewhere which is linked to so much sin,” he reportedly said.

Detectives from Strike Force Belle have now charged nine men, including the college’s former principal, vice-principal and chaplain, over sexual assault claims that allegedly happened at the school in the 1960s.

 
 

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