AUSTRALIA
news.com.au
Rebekah Ison
Australian Associated Press
Catholics must hang their “heads in shame” after shocking word first data on child sex abuse in the church in Australia revealed seven per cent of priests were alleged pedophiles, a royal commission has been told.
The chief executive of the church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council held back tears on Monday as he talked about the “massive failure on the part of the Catholic Church in Australia to protect children from abusers”.
Royal commission research showed 4444 people had made allegations of abuse to 93 Catholic authorities between 1980 and 2015.
“These numbers are shocking. They are tragic and they are indefensible,” Francis Sullivan told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse sitting in Sydney.
“As Catholics we hang our heads in shame.”
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