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	Nick Xenophon Rejects Church Plea on Naming Priest By James Massola The Australian September 13, 2011 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/priest/story-fn59niix-1226135566524 INDEPENDENT Senator Nick Xenophon has rejected a plea from the Catholic Church urging him not to name an alleged abusive priest in parliament today. The Australian Online understands the Church's lawyers, Iles Selley, wrote to Senator Xenophon this morning describing the threat to name the priest as "an unfortunate turn of events". The legal firm argues that the church had examined the case and concluded it could not stand down the priest at the centre of the allegations under canon law. The Church asked Senator Xenophon to refrain from naming the priest at the centre of the allegations. But Senator Xenophon has dismissed the request and will follow through with his threat to name the priest, under parliamentary privilege, unless the priest is stood down today. He is scheduled to carry out the threat in tonight's adjournment debate in the Senate. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. Senator Xenophon called last night for a federal government inquiry into allegations of abuse made by Archbishop John Hepworth. He also questioned the appropriateness of the appointment of the Adelaide archdiocese's vicar-general, David Cappo, as chairman of Julia Gillard's Mental Health Commission, saying he had failed to act decisively on the issue. Senator Xenophon released a copy of a letter sent to him by the law firm this afternoon. Iles Selley partner Dominic Agresta said in the letter ''the matter is very delicate and complex''. ''We understand that you made comment about this matter during your address to the Senate on the evening of 12 September 2011, including by making assertions critical of the process our client has adopted in the matter.'' ''As you might imagine, our client is most surprised and concerned at this, not merely because your address was made without notice to our client, but more importantly because it appears to us, respectfully, to be based on less than a full appreciation of all of the relevant facts and circumstances.'' Mr Agresta said it would be an ''unfortunate turn of events'' if Senator Xenophon followed through with his threat to name the priest if he is not stood down from his role as priest in an Adelaide parish. He said the church had thought ''long and hard'' about the question of whether the priest should be stood down from his position, but they had decided it could not be supported as a matter of church and civil law. ''We respectfully request that you desist from carrying out your threat to name the priest concerned, that you make no further comment about the matter and that, pending an opportunity to address you further on these matters, that you allow this matter to proceed in the normal way,'' Mr Agresta said. The letter from the church's lawyer again outlined that ''from the beginning'' in 2007, Archbishop Hepworth had declined to take his allegations to the police. He said the church had respected Mr Hepworth's wishes in not commencing an investigation in to the manner, but both the church and Mr Agresta had expressed their ''readiness and willingness'' to commence an investigation as soon as Mr Hepworth felt able to do so. In a written statement released by the Archdiocese of Adelaide this morning, they implored Senator Xenophon not to proceed with his threat to name the priest. ''The Senator must be made aware of the many complex and sensitive issues regarding this matter,'' the statement said. ''We are more than happy to send our legal advisers to meet with Senator Xenophon and to brief him as soon as possible.''
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