AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By Giselle Wakatama

The Catholic Church is arguing it has no responsibility for the supervision of its priests, as it fights a damages case launched by an alleged victim of a dead priest in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.

A 2013 special commission of inquiry found the Catholic Church knew that father Denis McAlinden was a paedophile, dating back to the 1950s.

Among those officials who allegedly knew was the dead bishop Leo Clarke, whose estate is now being pursued as part of a damages case brought by a woman known as LG.

The inquiry found the former bishop failed to report McAlinden throughout the 20 years he was in his job.

The inquiry also found bishop Clarke’s inaction in relation to the paedophile priest was inexcusable.