AUSTRALIA
ABC News
One of Australia’s most senior Catholic church officials is scheduled to front an inquiry into an alleged cover-up of child sexual abuse by clergy in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
Catholic Church documents tendered to the inquiry show the general secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference, father Brian Lucas, knew about abuse by Denis McAlinden, one of the two priests at the centre of the investigation.
Father Lucas is scheduled to give evidence later today or tomorrow.
The documents show there was “a possible confession” by McAlinden to Father Lucas in 1993, and that McAlinden was asked by the bishop to retire because of his “ill health”.
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