Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart Appears before Facing the Truth Sex Abuse Inquiry
By Michelle Ainsworth
THE CATHOLIC Church has been more interested in protecting its reputation and fortune than caring for the victims of child sex abuse, Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart has admitted. Archbishop Hart fronted the parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse for the first time in a gruelling three-hour questioning session today. When asked about the secrecy surrounding pre-1990 abuse claims, Archbishop Hart admitted that former archbishop Frank Little had kept all allegations confidential. "The church was too keen to look after herself and her good name, and not keen enough to address the terrible anguish of the victims," Archbishop Hart said. But he shocked the inquiry's public gallery when he said it was "better late than never" that the church had taken 18 years to write to Rome to have a priest excommunicated after he was convicted of child molestation. Archbishop Hart was being questioned about Father Desmond Gannon, who had his faculties to perform as a priest removed in 1993, after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced in the late 1980s. Gannon was jailed in 2009 for molesting an altar boy between 1968 and 1969. Head of the Adult Survivors of Child Abuse group, Cathy Kezelman, said the Archbishop's comments were flippant. "It's appalling to think that this wasn't acted upon immediately. 'Better late than never' doesn't cut it. Over 18 years children could have been at risk. "The church should have acted the moment there were any allegations," Dr Kezelman said. Under questioning from committee members, Archbishop Hart laid bare a culture of denial and cover-up within the church. There were 59 priests in the Melbourne Archdiocese found to have sexually abused children. A dozen priests had been responsible for more than half of all abuse complaints upheld by the church. Archbishop Hart admitted that crimes should have been dealt with upfront and reported to police immediately. And he did not deny that the number of abusive priests could be much higher as no records were kept of many allegations, perpetrators were moved between dioceses and cases were covered up with "absolute confidentiality" by the late Archbishop Little. "I understand that the community is looking for someone to take responsibility for the terrible acts that occurred. I take responsibility," he said. "I am appalled by the actions of these criminals against the weakest and most defenceless in our community . . . I apologise unreservedly for one of the darkest periods in our church's history," said the Archbishop. Australia's most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, will appear before the inquiry next Monday.
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