By Mex Cooper
Sydney Morning Herald
September 13, 2011
http://www.smh.com.au/national/church-pleads-with-senator-over-rape-claim-20110913-1k6w6.html
Independent senator Nick Xenophon has vowed to defy the Catholic Church and name and shame a priest accused of raping the Archbishop of the Traditional Anglican Communion, John Hepworth, about 50 years ago.
Senator Xenophon said in the senate last night that he would identify the priest unless he was stood down by noon today.
The priest is accused of raping Hepworth, 67, who was allegedly the victim of sexual abuse by three priests when he was aged between 15 and 27 and studying to become a priest.
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| Independent Senator Nick Xenophon ... says he will name the priest in parliament. Photo: Kate Geraghty |
The two other priests, Ronald Pickering and John Stockdale, are deceased and claims against them were settled in Melbourne.
Senator Xenophon had threatened to name the third priest, who runs a parish in South Australia, unless the church acted by noon.
In response, lawyers for the Archdiocese of Adelaide sent the senator a three-page letter and asked that he reconsider his threat.
The letter, a copy of which has been obtained by The Age, said the Archdiocese was concerned that naming the man would affect Archbishop Hepworth as well as the priest and the Archdiocese had conducted an investigation into the allegations.
It said the investigation had centred on ensuring Archbishop Hepworth's wishes were met and on affording the accused priest, who has denied the allegations, natural justice and procedural fairness.
"You may be aware that the allegations made by Archbishop Hepworth relate to a period dating back to almost 50 years," the letter from Iles Selley Lawyers said.
"The priest concerned has categorically denied the allegations and, objectively speaking, it is not irrelevant that he has been a priest of good standing in the Archdiocese for almost 50 years."
Senator Xenophon was also offered a detailed and personal briefing on the case.
The senator told ABC's The World Today that he had been given no choice but to carry through with his threat to name the priest.
But he said that he would first discuss the letter with Archbishop Hepworth.
At a press conference in Canberra this afternoon, Senator Xenophon said the letter left him "no choice", although he hoped the church would "see sense" in the hours ahead.
"My obligation is to John Hepworth and the parishioners," Senator Xenophon said.
"I’m hoping they (the church) will see sense in the next few hours.
"My next move is to discuss this matter in the Senate tonight.
"If this priest is named tonight in the Senate, the Catholic Church in South Australia will only have itself to blame."
Senator Xenophon said he had the Archbishop's support to name his alleged abuser.
Asked if he had any concerns about potentially destroying a man's good name, Senator Xenophon replied that he believed everyone had the right to the presumption of innocence; however, serious allegations should not be swept under the carpet.
Senator Xenophon said the church had appointed a prominent lawyer to investigate the allegations, but that process had not begun.
"I have no choice in this matter," he said.
He said he had spoken on Tuesday to Archbishop Hepworth, who was dealing with a lot of trauma.
"I think the trauma has been compounded by the way the Catholic Church in South Australia has not dealt with this," he said.
Archbishop Hepworth, 67, revealed at the weekend that he was the victim of violent rapes at the hands of three priests beginning in 1960.
At the time, Archbishop Hepworth, who is now the primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion in Adelaide, was a 15-year-old boy studying to be a priest.
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