Whitlam Hands down Priest Findings

By Stephen Jeffery
Armidale Express
December 14, 2012

http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/1186291/whitlam-hands-down-priest-findings/?cs=471

A FORMER federal court judge has completed a report into the Catholic Church's handling of child sexual abuse allegations leveled at a former priest in the Armidale and Parramatta dioceses.

Antony Whitlam QC was appointed to an independent inquiry by Bishop of Armidale Michael Kennedy and Bishop of Parramatta Anthony Fisher in July after several people publicly claimed they had been sexually abused as children by the former priest in the 1980s.

It was also alleged the priest confessed to sexually abusing children during a meeting with senior members of the clergy in 1992. The information was not passed on to police.

The report, commissioned by former federal court judge Antony Whitlam QC, has been received by the bishops and handed in confidence to NSW Police.

According to a media statement released by the bishops, the report will be published, subject to police advice, "as soon as practicable".

The bishops would not provide further comment until the report is publicly released.