NEW ZEALAND
Otago Daily Times
By Chris Morris
The Catholic Church is defending its decision not to defrock a paedophile priest who abused boys in Dunedin.
It was confirmed this week Magnus (Max) Murray, now aged 90, is in the care of a Catholic-owned rest-home in Auckland. Despite admitting 10 charges of sexual offending against boys in Dunedin, dating back to the 1950s, Fr Murray has retained his status as a priest following his conviction in 2003, the church has confirmed.
It was a discovery that outraged Murray Heasley, the head of a group of former pupils campaigning for Kavanagh College to adequately acknowledge its links to Fr Murray’s dark past.
He was a teacher at St Paul’s High School, which later became Kavanagh College, at the time of his offending.
A picture of him was on the college’s honours wall until earlier this year, when a complaint from Dr Heasley and 12 other former pupils prompted its removal.
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