Priests Put Church before Victims of Sex Abuse, Catholic Official Says

By Ursula Malone
ABC News
September 22, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-22/priests-put-church-before-victims-church-official-says/7866570

PHOTO: Monsignor John Usher spoke to Four Corners in 2012. (Supplied: Royal Commission)

A senior Catholic priest has told the royal commission into child sex abuse there is a tendency by some in the church to put the institution ahead of victims.

Monsignor John Usher, who served as Chancellor of the Sydney Archdiocese for a decade until his retirement last year, was recalling a meeting he had attended with then priest Father John Farrell in 1992.

"There was in those days and there still is in some places today an inclination to handle these matter as if we're looking after the church," he said.

During the 1990s, Monsignor Usher, along with Father Brian Lucas, was part of a small group of senior Catholic priests who were called upon to help bishops deal with offending clergy.

"Even way back then, my prime concern in any of these matter was the victims of any abuse that took place," he told the commission.

Asked why he had given three different accounts of a diary note of the meeting with Farrell, he told the commission he was "only human".

In 2012, an ABC Four Corners program revealed the existence of a letter from another priest at the meeting, Father Wayne Peters, who has since died.

Written a few days later and addressed to his bishop, the letter gave a detailed account of the meeting and how Farrell had admitted sexually abusing five boys over a two-year period.

Monsignor Usher agreed that he was surprised when the letter came to light.

Justice McClellan: "Is this a summary of the position? That you had this series of meetings and ultimately actions were taken. All of that occurring in 1992. Then Four Corners turns up 20 years later and in anticipation that Four Corners will allege the three of you, that is Lucas, Usher and Peters received admissions from Farrell, you had to and did talk to each other about what your response would be to that assertion?"

Monsignor Usher: "I did. I don't know what the others talked about, All I did was ring them both and say 'Do you recall?'"

Justice McClellan: "What you didn't realise and Father Lucas didn't realise and it would seem that Father Peters didn't remember was that there was actually a written record of these meetings made at the time the meetings occurred?"

Monsignor Usher: "You're absolutely correct."

Justice McClellan: "But all of you had put yourself in the position where you publicly asserted, through the Cardinal, that no admissions had been made. Correct?"

Monsignor Usher: "That's correct. But I would just say that's what I honestly believed."

Reform process 'held back' by Catholic officials, Usher says

During evidence yesterday, it was revealed that Monsignor Usher has been questioned by police about his failure to report the sexual assaults on children allegedly disclosed by Farrell at the meeting.

Monsignor Usher was asked if he had ever discussed possible criminal liability with Father Lucas and Father Peters.

"I've had discussions with my lawyers but not with Wayne Peters at the time, but poor Wayne died, nor have I had discussion with Brian Lucas about that," he said.

At the end of the hearing, the Commission Chair asked Monsignor Usher about a number of speeches he made in 1992 addressing sexual abuse by clergy.

Justice McClellan: "Should we understand that you became concerned that the church wasn't responding as it should be?"

Monsignor Usher: "Certainly not as quickly enough, your Honour."

He said the reform process had been held back by resistance from Catholic officials in Rome.

The hearing has been adjourned until a later date.