Church Reopens Investigation into Child Sex Abuse

By Laetitia Lemke
ABC - Lateline
July 4, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3539168.htm

[with video]

The Catholic Church has reopened internal investigations after Four Corners revealed documents claiming a priest confessed to the abuse of children.

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: Shocking revelations of a bungled child sex abuse inquiry have persuaded the Catholic Church to reopen investigations.

The ABC's Four Corners this week revealed documents that allege a priest confessed to Church officials he had been abusing children, but that information wasn't passed on to police.

New South Wales detectives are now involved and more than 30 years on, they're urging victims to come forward.

Laetitia Lemke reports.

LAETITIA LEMKE, REPORTER: It's the confession the Catholic Church said never took place. This letter, aired on Four Corners, details the abuse of several Moree boys at the hands of a local priest in the 1980s.

The priest, who for legal reasons is known only as "Father F", is alleged to have told a Church panel about his abuses in 1992.

LETTER FROM FATHER WAYNE PETERS (male voiceover): "He admitted that there had been five boys around the age of 10 and 11 that he had sexually interfered with in varying degrees between 1982 and 1984."

LAETITIA LEMKE: That contradicts statements from all three panel priests who denied Father F made any confessions, a denial that was backed by the Church.

GEORGE PELL, ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY (on Four Corners): The file note of that meeting shows that - does not show that he made any admission and that is the recollection of the three priests.

LAETITIA LEMKE: The Catholic Church has now changed its tune.

STATEMENT FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY (male voiceover): "The Archdiocese of Sydney is seeking further information about the 1992 meeting."

LAETITIA LEMKE: Victim support groups say that's not good enough.

BERNARD BARRETT, BROKEN RITE: Any investigation should be done by the police or preferably by a royal commission, a national royal commission. The Church should keep out of this. The Church cover-up has been going on for too long.

LAETITIA LEMKE: Under legislation, any confession of child sexual abuse should have been passed on to police. Authorities are now involved.

STATEMENT FROM THE NSW POLICE (male voiceover): "The New South Wales Police force has reviewed the Four Corners story. In order to investigate claims of child sexual abuse police require any victims to come forward. We strongly urge all persons to come forward."

LAETITIA LEMKE: Father F is still living in NSW and is yet to face many of the child sex abuse allegations made against him.

Laetitia Lemke, Lateline.

TONY JONES: And further to that story, the Sydney Archdiocese tonight issued a statement saying it doesn't accept that its priests have failed to disclose alleged crimes committed by Father F. It also welcomed an announcement today by the Bishop of Armidale, Michael Kennedy, that he's appointing an independent expert to review all records.