AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

AAP

MICHAEL Malone believed he had inherited “a poisoned chalice” when he became bishop of the Maitland/Newcastle Catholic diocese, an inquiry into child sexual abuse has been told.

Whistleblower cop Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox told commissioner Margaret Cunneen Bishop Malone used that description when commiserating with the mother of a boy who had been repeatedly sexually assaulted during his teenage years by Hunter Valley priest James Fletcher.

Det Insp Fox said the mother told him in 2002 there was animosity between Bishop Malone and his predecessor Bishop Leo Clarke because Bishop Clarke had not revealed the extent of “indiscretions” and “bad decisions” that had taken place in the diocese, possibly for decades.

But the mother felt Bishop Malone was just “going through the motions” speaking to her and was not showing genuine pastoral care, Det Insp Fox said.