No date set for bishop to testify to sex abuse inquiry

By Melissa Cunningham
Courier
March 21, 2016

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3804067/no-date-set-for-bishop-to-testify/

John Ditchburn's take on the testimony of Bishop Ronald Mulkearns.

Former Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns

No date has been set for former Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns to continue his evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

No date has been set for former Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns to continue his evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.  

Bishop Mulkearns made his much-anticipated appearance at the child sexual abuse inquiry via videolink from the nursing home in which he now lives in February.

He told the inquiry he was “terribly sorry” he did not take the mounting sexual abuse allegations about offending clergy seriously and admitted he did not know how to handle the situation.

The hearing was adjourned after about 90 minutes due to Bishop Mulkearns' ill health. The inquiry has repeatedly heard the former bishop received numerous complaints about paedophile priests over three decades but failed to act or notify police. Instead he moved the priests around western Victoria where they continued to offend. Anyone with allegations of historic child sexual abuse in an institution can contact the commission on 1800 099 340.