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Senior Church Leaders to Front Abuse Inquiry

ABC News
July 22, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-23/senior-church-leaders-to-front-abuse-inquiry/4836714?section=nsw

One of Australia's most senior Catholic church officials is scheduled to front an inquiry into an alleged cover-up of child sexual abuse by clergy in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.

Catholic Church documents tendered to the inquiry show the general secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference, father Brian Lucas, knew about abuse by Denis McAlinden, one of the two priests at the centre of the investigation.

Father Lucas is scheduled to give evidence later today or tomorrow.

The documents show there was "a possible confession" by McAlinden to Father Lucas in 1993, and that McAlinden was asked by the bishop to retire because of his "ill health".

There are claims the church paid for McAlinden's one-way ticket to England, where he continued working as a priest and continued having access to children.

The public hearings are expected to resume in Newcastle this morning when the former vicar general Monsignor Allan Hart continues giving evidence.

Late last week Monsignor Hart said it was not his role to tell police about allegations of abuse against McAlinden because the bishop had a committee, which included father Lucas.

 

 

 

 

 




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