AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

September 19, 2014

Rick Feneley

The new archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, has used his first news conference to express his shame and sorrow for child abuse by the clergy and the church’s abandonment of its victims.

To the survivors of abuse and to the church’s youth, Archbishop Fisher said: “To both of them I say, no excuses, no cover-ups. I am ashamed and I’m sorry for where we’ve failed you in the past. The church can do better and I’m determined to play my part as a leader in Sydney.”

Archbishop Fisher said he hoped the Catholic church would emerge as a “purified and humbler church”.

At the news conference in Parramatta, where he has led the Diocese since 2010, he said: “It’s been harrowing to listen to the stories of the survivors of abuse as I have done here…