Sex Victims Urge Clergy to Read Letter at Easter

By Barney Zwartz
The Age
April 5, 2012

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/sex-victims-urge-clergy-to-read-letter-at-easter-20120404-1wd7b.html

VICTIMS of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy want a call for an independent inquiry into the handling of their complaints to be read from every Catholic pulpit in Victoria over Easter.

Bryan Keon-Cohen QC, chairman of Commission of Inquiry Now (COIN), has written to every parish priest in the state asking them to read the letter during Easter services.

It is a slightly mischievous mimicking of 80,000 letters opposing same-sex marriage sent by Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart and five other bishops to Victorian Catholics last weekend. Mr Keon-Cohen's letter asks priests to distribute a COIN donation form to parishioners.

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Asked whether his request was a bit cheeky, Mr Keon-Cohen said: "Why not? You've got to think laterally. If letters are being read about gay marriage it shows churches are proper places to debate public policy."

The COIN letter - sent to nearly 400 Melbourne and Ballarat parishes on Tuesday, with the rest of the state to follow - asks parishioners to lobby the church hierarchy to support an independent inquiry.

"It seems that Archbishop Hart is more focused on campaigning against gay marriage than dealing with the crisis in his own organisation. Before the Church can ever again exert moral authority on any issue, it must deal with the weeping sore of clerical sexual abuse," it says.

Senior priest Kevin Dillon, who supports an independent inquiry, said he would be surprised if the letter were read in church, because it was just not practical at Easter. Besides, "many people come to church to find strength to get through the week ahead, not to leave more desolate than they came".

Archbishop Hart declined to comment. But Vicar-General Greg Bennet emailed priests on Tuesday night saying the letter was not authorised.