Royal Commission: Abuse Allegations Too Vague to Report to Police, Catholic Church Official Says
By Nicole Chettle
A senior Catholic official has told the royal commission into child sexual abuse the information he had about a former priest's "wicked and criminal" conduct was too vague to report to police. The commission heard Father Brian Lucas, the National Director of Catholic Mission, was interviewed on the ABC radio current affairs program AM in July 2012, after an ABC Four Corners investigation into the church's handling of allegations against Father John Farrell. The commissioner, Justice Peter McClellan, asked Father Lucas to explain why he told the ABC Father Farrell's behaviour was "wicked and criminal", but did not report the matter to police. Father Brian Lucas: The first thing the police would say is: 'Well what, where and to whom and when?' None of which I could have answered. Justice Peter McClellan: No, but they could have made their own inquiries couldn't they, knowing that they had a foundation for them? Father Lucas: Well they'd already presumably made their inquiries. Justice McClellan: Well how do you know? Father Lucas: Well it's not something, your honour, that I directed my mind to in those circumstances. Justice McClellan: Well your explanation that there was no utility in going to the police, it doesn't have any substance does it? Father Lucas: With due respect I think you can't go to the police with something as vague as that. Letter contradicted Church's statement on abuse Father Lucas told the Sydney hearing that he could not recall Father Farrell ever making specific admissions of sexual abuse, despite the existence of a letter detailing a meeting he attended in 1992, in which Father Farrell is said to have confessed to molesting five boys. That letter, from the late Father Wayne Peters to the Bishop of Armidale, said Father Farrell admitted to assaulting the boys, aged between 10 and 11, between 1982 and 1984. Father Peters' document included a quote from Father Farrell, in which he purportedly said he had "sucked off their dicks". "My first response was that he embellished it, which was probably unlikely," Father Lucas said of Father Peters' letter. "But it makes no sense to me because those words would have so shocked me. "They would have been seared into my memory." Father Lucas said that when the letter emerged on Four Corners it became clear that "[Father] Wayne Peters had obviously misled us". 'No cover-up' of child abuse: Father Lucas Father Lucas told the commission he had a phone conversation with Father Peters about the letter that appeared on Four Corners. Father Lucas agreed with Justice McClellan when it was put to him that there was a concern about the fact that the letter "contradicted the statements that you all agreed should be made to the press". Father Lucas maintained there was "every attempt to be honest", and that church officials consulted the three men who attended the 1992 meeting with Farrell to clarify their version of events. But counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness put to Father Lucas that their efforts were an "exercise in manipulation". "What you were seeking to do was to get Peters to say publicly something that would minimise the intent of that letter," Ms Furness "In order for you all to get off the hook and not be thought of to cover up what happened in 92?" Father Lucas replied: "I don't accept that." The hearing will continue on Wednesday.
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