AUSTRALIA
The Age
February 20, 2016
Goya Dmytryshchak
A Catholic priest will no longer conduct mass at a Melbourne primary school after parents withdrew their children in protest over sexual abuse allegations.
Earlier this month, more than 40 parents removed their children from school mass conducted fortnightly by Father John Walshe at St John Vianney’s Primary School in Parkdale.
Father Walshe has been accused of sexually abusing an 18-year-old seminarian in 1982.
He denied the abuse and said the incident was consensual.
The victim received $75,000 in compensation and an apology from the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
A school newsletter from St John’s this week informed parents that associate priest, Father Ramsay Williams, would say school mass for the present.
Also this month, about 20 parents withdrew their children from Father Walshe’s weekly mass at Mentone’s St Patrick’s School, which is in the same parish.
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