AUSTRALIA
ABC News
[with video]
Posted Wed 13 Nov 2013
The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Dennis Hart has apologised for the church’s treatment of child sexual abuse cases.
Transcript
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: The Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, joined me just a short time ago.
Archbishop Hart, thanks very much for being there for us.
DENIS HART, ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE: Thank you, Emma.
EMMA ALBERICI: Now Premier Napthine today said the Catholic Church should hang its head in shame. Do you now accept that the level of abuse in your church is out of proportion with any other religious organisation in this country?
DENIS HART: I think today has been highly significant. We welcome the report and we are committed to facing the terrible truth that victims have suffered beyond all proportion and it is very high in the Catholic Church and that I find shameful and shocking.
EMMA ALBERICI: You said today that your church leaders had made terrible mistakes. Given the strong language in today’s report regarding Cardinal Pell’s role, what will you be recommending to the Vatican as far as a response goes?
DENIS HART: I believe that our response has to be considered in the light of the whole picture. Cardinal Pell introduced the Melbourne response, which was the first attempt to do something about sexual abuse and to care for victims. I took that over when I was Archbishop and I believe that it really made significant steps forward in addressing this awful blight. Now we come to a new stage and we do have to remember that Cardinal Pell has been part of that progress to this point of time. There’s now a new stage when we, the Church, and the community can really move forward together and to be sure that the awful suffering is being addressed, that care is being provided for victims, ease of redress and appropriate reporting mechanisms so that we will not have abuse again in Victoria.
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