Bishop slams cover-up
Praise for victim who lifted lid “The loyal and caring clergy are now not trusted, feel shattered and ashamed of their colleagues.”
RETIRED Bishop Peter Danaher, who was a former vicar in Newtown, has spoken for the first time about his shock and devastation at the findings of the royal commission into institutional child abuse within the church.
A report, which focused on the institutional response to reported cases of abuse within the church, was released earlier this month.
Almost 2000 members of the Catholic clergy were named as alleged perpetrators of 4400 allegations of sexual abuse.
Bishop Danaher, who was Vicar of Newtown’s All Saints’ Anglican Parish, labelled the acts and the institutional cover up that ensued a “disgrace”, and said he was pleased to see the “criminals” who betrayed the church and the wider community ousted in such a public way.
“There is absolutely no way that any of these crimes can be excused or ignored. What has happened is grossly sinful and brings shame on all involved,” he said.
The royal commission’s report found of the 1880 alleged perpetrators from within the Catholic Church, 572 were priests.
Bishop Danaher said he had spent time reflecting on the impact that truth has had, and will continue to have, on the Church’s reputation and pondered how those in a position of power believed their coverup approach was acceptable.
In particular, he was affected by stories of children who worked up the courage to seek “care and justice” only to be dismissed or re-abused.
“It would seem that many, if not all the leaders, including, and perhaps especially the bishops, knew or had a good idea of what was going on,” Bishop Danaher said.
He said the revelation had been isolating for innocent priests.
“The loyal and caring clergy are now not trusted, feel shat- tered and ashamed of their colleagues,” he said.
“(There) is clergy who rarely wear any distinguishing cross or collar, they are often so ashamed of what their Church has done.”
He praised local abuse victim Chris Pianto for sharing his story, and in turn encouraging others to do the same.
“Much of what is now being reported at the commission began in Geelong with the courage of one or two people,” Bishop Danaher said.
He has added his voice to a local chorus led by parish priest Father Kevin Dillon who has been a long time campaigner for victims of institutional sexual abuse.
“Pain is difficult to bear, evil is hard to combat and change is often very difficult to accept. We must however change and change deeply,” Bishop Danaher said.