AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
By JASON GORDON July 1, 2013
MAITLAND-Newcastle Bishop Bill Wright has issued an ‘‘unreserved apology’’ to the victims of child sexual abuse by priests, and acknowledged that some members of the church ‘‘failed to act’’ in protecting them from these ‘‘predators’’.
Bishop Wright was allowed to make an opening address to Monday’s hearing of the Special Commission of Inquiry after opening statements from Commissioner Margaret Cunneen and counsel assisting, Julia Lonergan.
The inquiry switched its attention on Monday to what the church knew, and did or didn’t do with allegations concerning the abuse inflicted by disgraced priests Denis McAlinden and James Fletcher. It is also exploring whether the church hindered or obstructed police investigations or conspired to cover up illegal activities.
In an extraordinary opening address, Ms Lonergan indicated that the inquiry had received written documents from the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Diocese which suggests that senior church clergy not only knew about the ‘‘abhorrent’’ sexual abuse by Denis McAlinden, they went to great lengths to cover it up.
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