Mentone Pastor : Father Walshe Must Be Held "Accountable"

By Timna Jacks
The Age
February 17, 2016

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mentone-pastor-father-walshe-must-be-held-accountable-20160216-gmw2z3.html

Baptist minister Murray Campbell is speaking out about Father David Walshe. Photo: Jason South

A Mentone pastor has supported local families in their call for Father John Walshe's resignation, stating that church leaders must always be held "accountable" for their actions.

Senior minister at Mentone Baptist Church, Murray Campbell, has hit out at a decision to allow Father Walshe to retain his position as the Catholic Mentone-Parkdale parish priest in a blog post.

Father John Walshe, calls for the resignation of whom have been supported by a Mentone pastor. Photo: ABC News

The parish services two local schools – St Patrick's School in Mentone and St John Vianney's school in Parkdale.

Dozens of parents from both schools boycotted Mass in recent weeks, in protest against Father Walshe, who abused an 18-year-old seminarian shortly after he was ordained.

Despite the protests, Father Walshe has retained his position. Pastor Campbell described the church's silence as "helpful as clanging cymbals being hit half a beat behind the rest of the band".

The Catholic Church paid $75,000 compensation to John Roach in 2012, after the Catholic archdiocese of Melbourne accepted he had been sexually abused by Father John Walshe in 1982.

Father Walshe denies he abused Mr Roach but said he had engaged in "consensual conduct" with another adult.

"My conduct was contrary to my religious beliefs. However, it by no means constituted any form of abuse," he said in a statement to the ABC last year.

Father Walshe also came under fire after he defended Cardinal George Pell at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, when questioned about his recollection of a 1993 phone call between Cardinal Pell and a child-abuse victim.

After telling the commission that Cardinal Pell appeared upset and worried for the victim, counsel assisting the commission, Angus Stewart SC, accused Father Walshe of lying to the commission to "save" his friend from accusations that he had tried to bribe a survivor to keep quiet.

Father Walshe denied the allegation.

Mr Campbell, a father of three, said he has been contacted by concerned families in Mentone, but also by families who support Father Walshe.

In his view, if an allegation of abuse had been levelled at a church leader, suspending the leader from his position would be the most appropriate course of action, he said.

"I am not privy to all the information regarding the alleged abuse case, however I know that at Mentone Baptist Church, should a pastor [or any one at the church for that matter] sexually abuse anyone, their tenure would be terminated, and the authorities contacted," he said in his blog.

"The Bible does set a high qualification for leaders and it's important that we follow them and are held accountable when we don't."

Mr Campbell said many people had become "suspicious of ecclesiastical organisations, given the lack of transparency that exists among some", and it was crucial that church leaders become more transparent and open with their communities.

"The offering of silence, as seems to be the case here, when there are legitimate concerns, is as helpful as clanging cymbals being hit half a beat behind the rest of the band."

Mr Campbell has offered to speak with other concerned community members about the issue.