AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
By BOB O’TOOLE Aug. 18, 2014
HUNTER Catholic priests Monsignor Allan Hart and Father William Burston should be removed from their positions as parish priests immediately, and asked to retire or resign from active ministry.
The Clergy Abused Network (CAN), which is a voluntary group of survivors of sexual abuse in a religious context, does not seek to completely end their ministry. They should be free to perform relief liturgical celebrations in the diocese as required.
But the findings of the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry in May this year make anything less than their removal as parish priests unacceptable.
The commission investigated, among other things, Catholic Church knowledge of child sex allegations involving the late Hunter priests Denis McAlinden and Jim Fletcher.
Commissioner Margaret Cunneen, SC, found that Monsignor Hart was “an unsatisfactory and unimpressive witness”.
The behaviour of Monsignor Hart was an embarrassment to those present at the inquiry.
He contradicted himself. He attempted to distance himself from the issues by claiming he had passed information to his superiors and by doing so had abrogated himself from any further responsibility.
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