AUSTRALIA
7 News
AAP
November 30, 2015
A Melbourne bishop told a principal who raised concerns about the new parish priest “once a pedophile always a pedophile”, an inquiry has heard.
Former St James Primary School principal Patricia Taylor went to her regional bishop Peter Connors after being warned about North Richmond parish priest Fr Wilfred “Bill” Baker.
“He said to me: ‘research shows that once a pedophile, always a pedophile’,” Ms Taylor told the child abuse royal commission.
While Bishop Connors was very concerned about what he was told, Ms Taylor said that comment was of no help to her and took away any hope the priest had changed.
She did not hear from Bishop Connors again and Baker still arrived at the parish in 1992.
Ms Taylor said she had been warned about Baker at an off-the-record meeting with a representative of the Catholic Education Office.
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