AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun
Shannon Deery, Herald Sun
September 5, 2016
THE Catholic bishop blamed over the sexual abuse of hundreds of children has left the church most of his $2.1 million estate.
Former bishop Ronald Mulkearns, who died in April, left nearly all his estate, which includes a Fairhaven property valued at $2.1 million and about $40,000 cash, to the Ballarat diocese he once ran.
Mulkearns said the money was to be used by current bishop Paul Bird “for the benefit of the Catholic diocese of Ballarat at his absolute discretion”.
The Herald Sun contacted the church for comment Monday afternoon. By late Monday night, the church had not replied.
From 1971 to 1997, while Mulkearns was bishop of Ballarat, hundreds of local children were molested by a nest of paedophile clerics. Victims of clerical abuse have now called for his money to be used for compensation and for support programs for those who suffered at paedophile priests’ hands.
Ballarat abuse survivor Andrew Collins said: “Mulkearns moved around clergy who he knew had sexually abused children. By doing so he effectively facilitated the rape of children in the church.
“His assets should be distributed to victims whose lives have been destroyed and damaged by his actions,” Mr Collins said.
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