(AUSTRALIA)
The Klaxon [Sydney, New South Wales, Australia]
July 8, 2025
By Anthony Klan
The Catholic Church’s powerful Sydney Archdiocese has failed to report to NSW Police allegations of abuse involving one of its most senior figures, despite “disclosing” the matter a week ago.
NSW Police said they “have not received any notification” from the church, about the abuse allegations involving Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers, who is second only to Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher.
That’s despite the Sydney Archdiocese on Tuesday last week quietly posting to a relatively obscure part of its website a statement about the allegations, including claiming to have “notified authorities”.
It’s also despite having claimed that “the NSW Police have confirmed there is no investigation at this time”.
“The NSWPF position remains the same – we have not received any notification” — NSW Police
The Klaxon revealed the statement on Wednesday last week, on Friday revealing that the church had not notified NSW Police, despite its official claims.
“The NSWPF position remains the same – we have not received any notification,” a NSW Police spokesperson has now told The Klaxon.
“Without a victim statement or complainant, police can’t investigate” — NSW Police
Umbers denies the allegations.
[RELATED: The Klaxon’s expose Friday. ]
The Sydney Archdiocese has repeatedly refused to respond to requests for comment from The Klaxon, and did not respond to a series of written questions yesterday.
Its statement last week, dated July 1, states that Umbers had stood aside and that the allegation was being “investigated”, but does not state the entity or entities investigating.
“The Archdiocese has notified the relevant authorities” — Sydney Archdiocese
“In accordance with its obligations, the Archdiocese has notified the relevant authorities of the complaint,” it states.
“The NSW Police has confirmed there is no active investigation at this time”.
“The NSW Police has confirmed there is no active investigation at this time” — Sydney Archdiocese
The Catholic Church’s statement. Source: Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
Yet on Thursday last week, July 3, NSW Police told The Klaxon: “NSW Police is not aware of this matter”.
Yesterday NSW Police said its “position remains the same” and “we have not received any notification”.
“Without a victim statement or complainant, police can’t investigate,” said a spokesperson.
“Without a victim statement or complainant, police can’t investigate” — NSW Police
The Sydney Archdiocese website has a section titled “reporting abuse”.
“The law requires serious crimes to be reported to the police and the policy of the Archdiocese is to report all allegations of sexual abuse to the Police,” it states.
The Sydney Archdiocese on “Reporting Abuse“. Source: Catholic Church, Sydney Archdiocese
The Sydney Diocese statement, dated July 1, states it “received notice of a civil claim of historical abuse” and that Umbers “has been identified as the subject of this claim”.
“Bishop Umbers emphatically denies the allegation,” it states.
It does not state what the “historical abuse” allegations are, where the abuse is alleged to have occurred, or when it was alleged to have occurred.
“In conformity with the Archdiocesan protocol for managing safeguarding complaints and relevant legislation, Bishop Umbers has agreed to stand aside from public ministry while this allegation is investigated,” it states.
The Sydney Archdiocese website today. Source: Catholic Archdiocese Sydney
Umbers, 54, is a senior member of Opus Dei, a small but powerful hardline, ultra conservative organisation within the Catholic Church.
He is reportedly the first Opus Dei member to have become Bishop in Australian history.
The Sydney Archdiocese’s statement last week was signed off by Father Samuel Lynch, who is also part of Opus Dei in Sydney.
“The policy of the Archdiocese is to report all allegations of sexual abuse to the Police” — Sydney Archdiocese
Umbers was appointed Auxiliary Bishop in 2016 “under Archbishop Anthony Fisher”, becoming one of “Australia’s youngest bishops”.
He was appointed to co-run the “governance and pastoral care of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney” and is one of three “Auxiliary Bishops” of the Sydney Archdiocese.
The Sydney Archdiocese website today. Source: Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
The St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School in Dulwich Hill, in Sydney’s inner-west, names Umbers as its “Bishop in Residence”.
A “priest of the Opus Dei”, Umbers has worked in multiple church positions in Sydney since 2003, his biography states.
He was chaplain of Warrane College, Creston College, Kenvale College, Nairana Study Centre and Redfield College, all in Sydney.
Redfield College is an Opus Dei-affiliated all boys school in Sydney’s outer north-west Hills District.
The school did not respond to a request for comment.
By ANTHONY KLAN