AUSTRALIA
Canberra Times
December 13, 2012
Megan Doherty
It may be in the churches of south Canberra or on a bike cycling the backblocks of the ACT that Francis Sullivan draws strength for what he knows will be a torrid time ahead.
The seasoned Canberra lobbyist has been appointed chief executive officer of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, a role within the Catholic Church ”managing the issues and ramifications” of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. Former NSW Supreme Court judge Barry O’Keefe, QC, has been appointed chairman of the council.
Mr Sullivan says it will be the most difficult position of his career but one he takes on willingly to ensure the Catholic Church listens and responds to stories of abuse – and tries to prove that things have changed.
”I’ve said quite openly as a Catholic I’m very disillusioned with the whole thing and I think it’s been a scandal,” he said, of child abuse within the church. ”People don’t expect church people to be engaged in this type of behaviour and there has been a history where there has been a cover-up, and that has also been scandalous.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.