Row over Convicted Brisbane Priest, CathNews, June 23, 2008

Row over Convicted Brisbane Priest

CathNews
June 23, 2008

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=7778

Brisbane over the role of a priest convicted of abuse who continues to say Mass privately in conflict with a papal directive to exclude pedophile priests from the ministry.

The Brisbane Times reports the Archdiocese of Brisbane continues to allow a convicted pedophile to remain a priest and celebrate Mass next to a school in defiance of a papal directive.

It quotes the Sydney Sun-Herald as saying the priest, Fr Ronald John McKeirnan, 69, of Toowong, in Brisbane's inner west, enjoys the support and protection of high ranking Cchurch officials, including Archbishop John Bathersby, despite having served a year in prison in 1998-99 for the sexual abuse of children.

The paper says the chCrch officials' decision conflicts with a statement by Pope Benedict in April that the Church "would absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry ... who is guilty of pedophilia cannot be a priest."

Fr McKeirnan, a former deputy director of Brisbane Catholic Education, now works on Catholic Church websites and conducts private Masses for religious brothers.

He pleaded guilty on two separate occasions in Brisbane to abusing children. He was jailed in 1998 for molesting nine boys in the 1960's and 1970's.

In sentencing Mr McKeirnan, the judge cited a "gross breach of trust" and said the impact of the abuse on the victims was "catastrophic". In Brisbane District Court in 2003, Mr McKeirnan also pleaded guilty to three further charges of indecent treatment of a boy during the 1960's and 1970's. He was given a suspended sentence.

Last week the Sun-Herald tracked him down to Marist Brothers' House, a Catholic accommodation centre, in inner-city Paddington.

The paper says it has learnt that Mr McKeirnan is a regular visitor to the house, and on Thursdays celebrates weekly Mass there. The house adjoins Marist College Rosalie and overlooks its pool.

A parent at the school, Jan Menzies, told the paper she was "very uneasy" about Mr McKeirnan being so near the school when her son did swimming training.

Archbishop Bathersby has said through a spokesman that under canon law he had "a responsibility to care for priests, active or retired, in his archdiocese ... [when] penalties are imposed on a cleric, provision must always be made so that he does not lack those things necessary for his decent support."

Fr McKeirnan's lawyer, Terry O'Gorman, said his client "had done his time and he's entitled to get on with his life and that includes celebrating Mass."

Meanwhile, the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane has toughened its policy on sex offenders, banning priests from the church as soon as they are convicted, the Brisbane Times says.