AUSTRALIA
Townsville Bulletin
EMMA CHADWICK, Townsville Bulletin
June 6, 2017
IN his first official act since becoming Townsville’s new Catholic Bishop, Timothy Harris has moved to step up transparency in the church and protect children from predators.
Bishop Harris has investigated an audit of allegations of abuse by priests dating back to the 1970s and will appoint an officer to safeguard against future cases.
Bishop Harris said the Townsville diocese had not been immune to historic cases of child abuse as outlined in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
He described former Mount Isa Catholic priest Father Neville Joseph Creen as a “bad egg” and said there was no place in the church for such priests.
“He has done his time and he has walked free but the church still has to go through the process of trying to heal the communities,” Bishop Harris said.
“I am reading a file every day about historical cases of abuse. It is no secret the church in Townsville has had its share of historical stuff.
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