AUSTRALIA
The Courier
By Melissa Cunningham
Dec. 13, 2015
A senior Catholic figure faced scrutiny for failure to respond to the pleas of parents trying to protect their children from paedophile priest Gerard Ridsdale.
Several parents complained to Brisbane auxiliary bishop Brian Finnigan about Ridsdale’s “disturbing” behaviour in Mortlake in 1981, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse was told.
The inquiry heard Bishop Finnigan, then secretary to Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns, told parents he there was no reason to be concerned about Ridsdale.
The commission was told he never reported any complaints to Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns. Bishop Finnigan said he had no proof at the time the allegations were true.
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