Archbishop Roger Herft has finished giving evidence at hearings into how the NSW diocese of Newcastle, which he headed between 1993-2005, handled allegations of abuse.

“I have let them down ... let down survivors in ways that remorse itself is a very poor emotion to even express,” Archbishop Herft told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Tuesday.

“I hope that the church in this diocese and the church across the Australian continent will be one that has not only woken up ... but become more and more transparent and accountable.”

During his evidence, Archbishop Herft admitted to failings in dealing with allegations and said that he became much more sensitive to the need to report accusations to police later on in his tenure.

He told the commission that abuse allegedly perpetrated by the second most senior priest in the diocese, Newcastle Cathedral Dean Graeme Lawrence, had shocked him “deeply” and changed how he viewed the priesthood.

He said he put a high-level of trust in Mr Lawrence and that his belief the now-defrocked priest was in a loving and faithful gay relationship influenced his propensity to believe the allegations.

“I’ve come to a much more realistic view, I think, of the priesthood and about those who serve in the priesthood,” he said.

The commission is now hearing evidence from lawyer and former diocese chancellor Paul Rosser QC, who represented alleged perpetrators and gave the church legal advice about dealing with abuse allegations.

He said by 2010 there was a “groundswell” of concern about a new professional standards process, with some diocese members believing priests had been unfairly treated.

“Even some of those (priests) who it may have been demonstrated against have offended?” Chair Peter McLellan said.

“Oh, yes yes. That’s certainly right,” Mr Rosser replied.

The hearing continues.