Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson to Return to Work Despite Charge of Concealing Child Sexual Abuse
ABC News
Adelaide's Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson has announced he will return to his post this month, despite facing a charge of concealing child sexual abuse. Wilson has been on indefinite leave since March, when he was charged by New South Wales police. The charge relates to when he was a junior priest, living and working in the Hunter Valley. Wilson has pleaded not guilty to concealing the serious indictable offence of the now-dead paedophile priest James Fletcher in the 1970s. In a letter published on the Catholic Archdiocese's website, Wilson said he had "decided that it is now appropriate for me to end my leave and resume my duties as Archbishop of Adelaide". Wilson said he had made the decision for "many reasons, including the fact that I do not know how long it will take for the charge against me to be resolved". "I will therefore end my period of leave and resume my duties in January 2016," he said. He said he respects that some people may disagree with his decision. "In no way should this decision be interpreted as my not taking this matter very seriously," he said. "On the contrary, I take the charge extremely seriously." Wilson said he would take "no role in professional standards matters in the Archdiocese of Adelaide, and nor will I be involved in the professional standards work of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference or my former work with the Truth Justice and Healing Council until this matter is resolved." The case against Wilson has been heard in the Newcastle Local Court. Documents previously tendered in court say Wilson believed Fletcher had indecently assaulted a 10-year-old boy in 1971.
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