BishopAccountability.org

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart Stands by Confessional Despite Abuse Recommendations

By Jeff Waters
The Radio Australia
November 13, 2013

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2013-11-13/melbourne-archbishop-denis-hart-stands-by-confessional-despite-abuse-recommendations/1219360

Archbishop Hart described church's response to child abuse as "the worst betrayal of trust in my lifetime".

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Melbourne Archbishop says confessional is sacrosanct despite inquiry recommending withholding information relating to child abuse be criminalised.

The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne has stood by the church's stance on keeping information on abuse gained through the confessional secret, despite a Victorian Parliamentary inquiry recommending withholding information relating to child abuse be criminalised.

Denis Hart says he supports all 15 recommendations made by the inquiry into institutional child abuse, but he will not commit to implementing them in full.

Archbishop Hart was speaking to the media hours after a parliamentary committee tabled recommendations that would criminalise the withholding of information relating to child abuse.

There is no exception within the recommendations for keeping information gained through the confessional secret, but the document does point out that evidence gathered in the confessional would be exempted under the existing evidence act.

"The confessional in the Catholic Church is sacrosanct," Archbishop Hart said.

Archbishop Hart also said some other aspects of the recommendations would need to be "negotiated" with the State Government, referring to recommendations requiring non-government organisations to be incorporated and adequately insured.

He said further consultations were required before the church could agree to full incorporation, which would make it easier for victims to sue for compensation.

"We need to engage with Government to bring the best outcome for all of those involved," he said.

Archbishop Hart described the church's response to child abuse as "the worst betrayal of trust in my lifetime by the Catholic Church".

"We won't step back from any of our responsibilities," he said.

When a journalist asked the Archbishop if he knew of any instances of child abuse that he had not yet revealed to police, he said: "No, I can say our books are open."

He also said he had never heard matters relating to child abuse in confessional.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine says as a Catholic he is ashamed and embarrassed by the way the church has handled reports of child abuse.

"I'm ashamed and embarrassed by the actions of the Catholic Church, or the lack of actions on these matters," he said.

The report says people who conceal child abuse, and put or keep a child at risk, should face criminal charges.

Mr Napthine hopes to have legislation in the pipeline early next year.

Victims welcome report recommendations

When the report was handed down today, gathered in the public gallery were victims and their families.

Many had given evidence at the inquiry, and their reaction to the report was palpable, with cheers erupting as the recommendations were read out.

Anthony and Chrissie Foster's daughters, Emma and Katie, were repeatedly raped by their parish priest, Father Kevin O'Donnell, at their primary school in Melbourne's south-east, from 1987 until 1992.

The Catholic Church had received numerous complaints about O'Donnell's behaviour dating back to the 1940s, but no action was ever taken.

Emma Foster committed suicide, and her sister Katie was seriously disabled when she was hit by a car after binge drinking and now requires 24-hour care.

Mr Foster says he and his wife feel a sense of euphoria today, but also trepidation about what lies ahead.

"[There's] mixed feelings, of course, [it] brings back some sadness with our children. But we feel that this report has the basis for everything that we want," he said.

Key to what the Fosters were fighting for was the ability for all victims to access the justice system to sue for compensation.

Mr Foster says the proposal that organisations receiving tax exemptions or funding from the Victorian Government should be incorporated and adequately insured will help ensure that.

He says the report also puts pressure on organisations to re-examine abuse claims from the past.

"We need to make sure that the Church and other organisations can't just draw a line today and say 'we're forgetting about everything behind and we're on with the future and yes we'll toe the line now'," he said.

"There are some big organisations out there who are going to be trying to protect their wealth, because this has always been about the wealth and reputation of organisations like the Salvation Army, the Catholic Church."

Stephen Woods, who along with his two brothers was repeatedly raped and assaulted by a priest at their Catholic school in Ballarat in the 1970s, says he is hopeful today's findings will pave the way for real change in how victims of abuse are treated.

Mr Woods says the focus should now be implementing a system to care for the victims of abuse, and an acknowledgement of the ongoing suffering.

"Because there are so many survivors of clergy sexual abuse, that there needs to be a system put in place, organised by the Government, paid for by the organisations of the perpetrators, so that we can stop the deaths," he said.

"The suicides need to be stopped. That's critical. And we need to make sure that people are looked after on a day-to-day basis. It's just terrible seeing the pain in so many people's lives."




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