AUSTRALIA
Catholic Philly
By Catholic News Service • Posted February 9, 2017
SYDNEY (CNS) — In a wide-ranging discussion, members of Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and experts called to testify discussed how good business practices might or might not make children less vulnerable.
The hearing included discussion of church governance, celibacy and what seminarians are being taught about power and leadership.
The Royal Commission — instituted by the government in 2013 — is conducting a three-week wrapup of its inquiry into child abuse within the Catholic Church. Unlike past hearings, which focused on specific cases, these hearings were to focus on church theology and doctrine, structure and governance, including the role of the Vatican and canon law, and issues like celibacy, confession and more.
Maureen Cleary, who has extensive experience as a governance consult for church and nonprofit organizations, told the commission there were many governing groups within the church.
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