BishopAccountability.org

Extent of Catholic child abuse revealed

By Rebekah Ison
7 News
February 06, 2017

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/34345674/extent-of-catholic-child-abuse-revealed/#page1

Catholics must hang their "heads in shame" after shocking word first data on child sex abuse in the church in Australia revealed seven per cent of priests were alleged pedophiles, a royal commission has been told.

The chief executive of the church's Truth, Justice and Healing Council held back tears on Monday as he talked about the "massive failure on the part of the Catholic Church in Australia to protect children from abusers".

Royal commission research showed 4444 people had made allegations of abuse to 93 Catholic authorities between 1980 and 2015.

"These numbers are shocking. They are tragic and they are indefensible," Francis Sullivan told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse sitting in Sydney.

"As Catholics we hang our heads in shame."

The data showed seven per cent of priests who were members of 75 surveyed authorities between 1950 and 2010 were alleged offenders.

More than 40 per cent of members of the St John of God Brothers between 1950 and 2010 were alleged abusers. Some 22 per cent of Christian Brothers were accused of being pedophiles.

Abuse survivor Joan Katherine Isaacs says the gut-wrenching data reveals so many children were damaged "because of the Catholic Church".

Her husband, Ian, said there was "no Christ" in the Vatican which has refused to provide documents about Australian priests to the royal commission.

"Where is Jesus?" he asked outside the hearing.

"He's in that courtroom today in the form of those sitting on the commission seeking justice for Australian children."

The commission has conducted 15 public hearings into the Catholic Church, many of which had included "depressingly similar" evidence, counsel assisting Gail Furness SC said.

Documents about alleged abuse were destroyed or not kept, she said.

"Children were ignored, or worse, punished. Secrecy prevailed as did cover ups."

Monday's data comes after Catholic Church records on child sex abuse were analysed for public consideration for the first time ever.

The allegations included claims made against current or former priests, religious brothers or sisters and church lay people.

While Ms Furness said there's no simple answer to why some priests and religious have sexually abused children, Dr Whelan raised the issue of celibacy.

"I think the church's law of compulsory celibacy is misguided and it should not be in place," Dr Whelan said.

The Sydney hearing, which will include evidence from all Australian archbishops after Hobart's Julian Porteous was added to the witness list on Monday, is expected to continue for three weeks.

It will look at how structural governance and cultural factors may have contributed to the occurrence of child sexual abuse.

"I'm just thinking to myself the most powerful apology we can make is to change what has been done - the hurt, the terrible pain it is," parish priest of St Patrick's Church Hill, Dr Michael Whelan, told the royal commission.

"We can apologise but words are not enough."




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