AUSTRALIA
The Australian
Dan Box
From: The Australian
November 25, 2013
THE priest who was at the centre of handling a group claim from abuse victims at an Anglican Church children’s home in NSW has quit, saying he is no longer sure he call himself a Christian.
Former registrar of the Grafton Diocese, Pat Comben said he had taken the view that he had some guilt and responsibility in the mishandling of the claims by 42 former residents of the North Coast Children’s Home in Lismore who suffered shocking sexual and physical abuse.
He said on Monday he was quitting because history is being re-written by some members of the church.
Mr Comben said he had signed the letter of holy orders relinquishment outside the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse on Friday. That was just before he took the stand to give evidence into the diocese’s handling of allegations by former residents of the home.
“Fifty years in the Church and I do not know if I can even say I am a Christian,” said Mr Comben outside the commission on Monday after he had completed two days of evidence.
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