AUSTRALIA
CathNews
The Archbishop of Perth says the Church’s “shameful” history of sexual abuse has resulted in it no longer being “heard or respected” in public debate, reports The West Australian.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, writing in The Record, said there was a growing gap between Catholic values and those accepted in society, with the Church “sidelined, attacked and ridiculed” for expressing its views on everything from abortion and marriage to the treatment of asylum seekers.
Archbishop Costelloe suggested the Church must shoulder some blame for its loss of community standing.
His comments come amid renewed criticism of the Church’s methods for dealing with abuse allegations, which have been aired at Victoria’s parliamentary inquiry into child sexual abuse.
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