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Bishops support Royal Commission into child abuse

Published: November 12, 2012

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference says it supports the announcement of a Royal Commission by Prime Minister Julia Gillard to investigate decades of child abuse in churches, schools and foster homes, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

Ms Gillard said the commission would address "institutional responses to child abuse" - the instances of abuse as well as the manner in which they have been dealt - by a range of institutions.

She said she would work in coming weeks with Attorney General Nicola Roxon to define the terms of reference, but said she imagined the investigation would go back decades.

Ms Gillard stressed the inquiry would not be limited to the Catholic Church.

"We will work on the specific terms of reference but this is about children who were in the care of religious organisations - so that's all religious organisations - it's about children who were in state care, it's about children who were in the care of not-for-profit bodies other than religious organisations, it will therefore go as well to the response of children's services agencies, and the response of the police."

The President and Permanent Committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, on behalf of the Australian Bishops, said: "this is a serious issue not just for the Catholic Church but for the whole community. As Catholic bishops and as individuals we share the feelings of horror and outrage which all decent people feel when they read the reports of sexual abuse and allegations of cover-ups," the ACBC said in a statement.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Pell, said he welcomed the PM's announcement. “Public opinion remains unconvinced that the Catholic Church has dealt adequately with sexual abuse. Ongoing and at times one-sided media coverage has deepened this uncertainty.  This is one of the reasons for my support for this Royal Commission.

“I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement.  I believe the air should be cleared and the truth uncovered. We shall co-operate fully with the Royal Commission."

FULL COVERAGE

PM announces abuse Royal Commission (SMH)

Nile claims major parties nervous about abuse inquiry (SMH)

At last: thanks very much (Age)

Victims' cries are finally heard (Age)

Policeman says inquiry should spur church to change (ABC)

Frank Brennan's reservations about scope of royal commission (ABC)

100 men launch action over ACT colleges (Canberra Times)

 

RELEASES

ACBC response to Royal Commission

Time to clear the air, says Cardinal Pell

 

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Recent Comments

  1. At last - a wide ranging Royal Commission into child abuse in Australia.
    I have no doubt that much more will be found out about cases in Catholic institutions but light might at last be shed on the situation.
    Perhaps it will mean that the unassailable position of the clerical layer of the Church will be opened up to t he light of day and we will see that they are, after all, merely men. And this brings us to why men only?
    When will the leaders of the Church take on the matter of celibacy.
    I am not one who equates celibacy with deviatism, not deviatism with celibacy but I look at the whole picture and think that if celibacy were optional perhaps we would attract more healthy young men, not those looking for release of their problems.
    Perhaps we can look forward to a reformation of the Church with 21st century openness.

    Posted By: gloria healey

  2. The Royal Commission would undoubtedly affect the local Church of Australia. The questions are: Will its outcomes be noted in the Universal Church?
    Will affective care be planned for its victims and the perpertrators for an accountable church to its People of God?
    Will changes be made within the Church Universal?

    Posted By: Diane

  3. Gloria: It is not about celibacy. Married men also interfere with children.
    In our parish a member of our Parish Council left in disgrace to do with child sexual material, and he was married.
    I wish people would stop harping about the celibate priesthood.
    The proof is in, it is not a factor.

    Posted By: Desmond

  4. Society in general has a problem with pedophilia. Children outside of the Catholic Church also have a right to be considered in any Commission Inquiry.
    Sadly the bigots will ignore this and cynically use this situation as a means of bashing the Catholic Church and Catholic beliefs. In which case it can be said that the welfare of children is far from being the motivating factor of these bigots. It's anti-Catholic bigotry that motivates them. This is already raising it's ugly head in the blogs and in twitter.
    Btw can we stop the nonsense about celibacy being the reason for pedophilia in the Catholic Church.

    Posted By: deric davidson

  5. We who love the Church can only pray that this Royal Commission will praise the good and punish the evil so that the Church may yet again be the seamless bride of Christ.
    The verdict might well be unpalatable and sorrowful and the aftermath horrendous for all but in the end the Church will learn valuable lessons from this purging trial.

    Posted By: Sev Milazzo

  6. Thankfully the Prime Minster has announced a broad-ranging enquiry that ranges beyond the Catholic Church - about which the ABC and the SMH are clearly not happy.
    Better still, it would go beyond formal institutions to networks both hidden and, like The Wall in Sydney, more or less open.

    Posted By: Peter

  7. I can only say Deo Gratias, at last we have a Royal Commission that will be an invistigation outside the parameters of the Catholic Church and all other Agencies who have children under their care.
    It is well known to researchers that only about 10 % of victims come forward and usually not till many years after the abuse has taken place. Surely if the church has done all it can then no one should have any thing to fear.
    The numbers already known are confronting enough.
    I feel deeply for the victims and their families and also for the faithful priests and Brothers whose lives must be shattered by these terrible revelations, they also need to be able to move on as do all us Catholics who are so distressed by the church we have found solace and shelter in being found so wanting in terms of addressing these terrible crimes.

    Posted By: Margaret M. Coffey

  8. Desmond: We cannot say celibacy is not a factor; for some, it might very well be.
    What we know is that celibacy is neither essential nor necessary for priesthood since the Catholic Church has always had married priests.

    Posted By: Francis

  9. Desmond: I think that you misunderstood or read only half of my comment referring to deviatism and celibacy.
    I said: 'I am not one who equates celibacy with deviatism, nor deviatism with celibacy but I look at the whole picture and think that if celibacy were optional perhaps we would attract more healthy young men, not those looking for release of their problems.
    Perhaps we can look forward to a reformation of the Church with 21st century openness.'
    I am looking to the future when, if we don't do something serious about recruiting Priests, we simply won't have any.
    Celibacy is what stops many young men when their thoughts turn to joining the Priesthood.
    Read in its entirety, Desmond, that is what I was saying.

    Posted By: GLORIA HEALEY

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