Four Paedophiles in Same Parish an Accident of History, Christian Brothers Tell Parliamentary Inquiry

The Australian
May 3, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/four-paedophiles-in-same-parish-an-accident-of-history-christian-brothers-tell-parliamentary-inquiry/story-e6frg6n6-1226634578176

Brother Julian McDonald answers questions at the inquiry. Picture: Jon Hargest Source: Herald Sun

A CATHOLIC order at the centre of Victoria's child abuse inquiry says the existence of a cluster of paedophile priests in Ballarat at the same time was "an accident of history".

At least four Christian Brothers at Ballarat's St Alipius Parish School in the early 1970s were child sex offenders, as was parish priest Gerald Ridsdale.

But the order's deputy province leader Brother Julian McDonald told the parliamentary inquiry there was nothing to suggest a cultural problem.

"I have no explanation for that ... It's certainly an accident of history. Was there a culture that encouraged that? I don't believe there is evidence that there was."

The inquiry heard six brothers had been jailed, four of whom remain in the order.

Brother McDonald said a further six, none of whom now had any contact with children, had been investigated by police without conviction.

Jailed serial paedophile Brother Robert Best was still a member of the Christian Brothers and was visited regularly by other members.

"We feel obliged not to let people like Brother Best be unsupervised," Brother McDonald said.

He said the order had spent more than $1 million on Brother Best's defences of cases between 1996 and 2011.

It also spent $10,000 on a private eye in the 1990s to probe an alleged victim.

"Our primary concern has always been with the victims," he said.

He said the order had footed a $10.5 million bill to represent priests in child abuse cases, though it hadn't paid for legal help for victims.

He said the order had been alerted to only two abuse complaints against a pair of Ballarat brothers, neither of which it reported to police.

"From its perspective the committee can certainly be excused for interpreting it that way (as a cover-up)," he said, prompting laughter.

"We can find two situations in which mistakes were definitely made and I will never try to defend that. That is indefensible."

The church's compensation panel chairman David Curtain, QC, said the average payout was $50,000-$70,000. It was not the case silence had been bought, he said.