WHISTLEBLOWER Vic Priest Had Death Threats

7 News
March 14, 2013

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/article/16368009/whistleblower-vic-priest-had-death-threats/


A former Anglican priest says he received death threats when he lifted the lid on another priest who was allowed to keep practising after admitting to sex abuse allegations.

Father Paul Walliker, who is now a priest in the Orthodox faith, said the priest concerned held a senior position in the Anglican Church in Victoria at the time.

The priest had abused another clergy member and there were other victims, Fr Walliker told a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into how religious and other organisations handle child abuse.

The perpetrator priest later admitted the abuse in a statement to the local bishop, who immediately asked for his resignation.

But Fr Walliker said there was intervention from higher authorities who made up a story that the perpetrator would retire owing to ill health.

The man was then given a limited licence to operate as a priest in the Anglican Archdiocese of Melbourne.

"That then allowed the priest to continue to be able to operate with impunity," Fr Walliker told the inquiry, sitting in the regional city of Bendigo on Thursday.

Fr Walliker said he and another priest decided something should be done and they approached the local bishop, who refused to act.

They then took it upon themselves to find witnesses to the abuse in their bid to have the priest defrocked.

He found five people prepared to put their name to the allegations and the priest was charged with 20 offences, but he died before being brought to justice.

Fr Walliker said he received death threats and his children were harassed because he had blown the whistle.

He said he was excommunicated from the diocese and refused permission to officiate as an Anglican priest.

Fr Walliker said he later had a memory recall that he too was indecently assaulted by the perpetrator priest.

He said that despite its protestations, the church has not changed in its attitude or handling of abuse allegations.

"There's still protection. Backwards protection," he said.

"There's this gaping sore, a wound, which has never been properly dealt with and it's to their shame."

Fr Walliker wants religious clergy working with children to have a working-with-children clearance as an enforced policy.

He said when he raised the issue of clergy abuse in the orthodox church, of which he's now a member, the response was: "We're not like that. It doesn't happen."

"It does happen. It has happened," he said.

The inquiry resumes hearings in Melbourne on Friday.