AUSTRALIA
Radio Australia
7 December 2016
By the National Reporting Team’s Lorna Knowles
The Catholic Church defrocks a priest for having a “long-term inappropriate sexual relationship” with a woman, in what is believed to be an Australian first.
The Catholic Church has defrocked a priest for having a “long-term inappropriate sexual relationship” with a woman, in what is believed to be an Australian first.
The church has also publicly apologised to the female parishioner involved, Jennifer Herrick.
The apology is the culmination of a seven-year legal battle Ms Herrick has waged against the church over the “toxic” relationship she had with Father Thomas Knowles.
On Friday, her civil damages claim against the church will be formally settled in the NSW Supreme Court and Ms Herrick hopes her victory will inspire other women who have been exploited by priests to come forward.
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