AUSTRALIA
The Morning Bulletin
10AM: BRIAN Heenan has stated he did not read a book published by a Neerkol Orphanage resident, detailing the sexual abuse at the institution, because he didn’t want to believe it.
The Royal Commission has heard prior to the former Rockhampton Bishop moving to the region in 1991, he did not have any training in respect of allegations of sexual assault.
“Sadly sex abuse was rising at the time and there was no adequate preparation until the reality began to dawn,” he said.
Mr Heenan was ordained in 1962. He assisted other priests in the archdiocese in Brisbane before becoming the parish priest of Zillmere.
He has told the Royal Commission one of the alleged assailants of sexual abuse at Neerkol Orphanage, Father Reginald Durham (deceased), retired in 1993.
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