BishopAccountability.org
	Archbishop Wilson Faces Allegations of a 'Conspiracy of Silence' Adelaide Now May 16, 2010 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/archbisiop-wilson-faces-allegations-of-a-conspiracy-of-silence/story-e6frea83-1225867921444 CATHOLIC Archbishop Philip Wilson has denied claims he ignored child sexual abuse by a fellow priest, covered up another case and was involved in "a conspiracy of silence" against the victim. Last night, a spokeswoman for the Archbishop told The Advertiser the claims were "completely without basis" and that the Archbishop would welcome the "opportunity" to be involved in any police investigation. The ABC last night reported that a victim of pedophile Catholic priests had a lodged complaint with NSW police that named the Archbishop alledging he was involved in "a conspiracy of silence". Two priests are at the centre of the latest allegations. one victim claimed the abuse happened under the Archbishop's roof, when he was a young Father, sharing the Old Bishop's home in the NSW diocese of Maitland. In the late 1970s, Archbishop Wilson shared the home with Father Jim Fletcher. Fletcher was regularly abusing Peter Gogarty, then aged 12. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. Mr Gogarty told the ABC he would often see Archbishop Wilson as he was led in and out the house by Fletcher, who died in jail in 2006. Mr Wilson denied any knowledge of abuse and told the ABC he never saw Fletcher take the boy to a bedroom. Fletcher was one of five Catholic priests alleged to have abused hundreds of children from the 1960s through to the late 1990s. In a written statement to The Advertiser last night, a spokesman said the Archbishop would provide any information to help police. "The allegations against Archbishop Wilson, raised on ABC TV News, are completely without basis," it said. "The Archbishop would welcome the opportunity to be involved in any police inquiry and to provide any information which might be of assistance to them". In the ABC report, Archbishop Wilson was also criticised for his handling of another pedophile priest, Father Denis McAlinden, and the sexual assault of an eight-year-old girl in 1985. A former principal of St Joseph's Primary School, near Newcastle, accused Archbishop Wilson of being involved in covering up the sexual assault of the girl by McAlinden. At the time, Philip Wilson was secretary to then bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, Leo Clarke, and he was sent to the school to talk to parents. The school was assured by Archbishop Wilson that McAlinden would be sent away to get help. "He said he would do something about it and he didn't," the assistant principal told the ABC. McAlinden was transferred to another parish where he came into contact with other children, and later he was transferred to a remote parish in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Over the next decade, he sexually assaulted five more girls under the age of 10. One of those girls lodged a formal police complaint in NSW in the past fortnight, accusing Archbishop Wilson of "involvement in a conspiracy of silence".
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