No Time for Abuse Files: Bishop

By Dan Box
The Australian
July 11, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/no-time-for-abuse-files-bishop/story-fn59niix-1226677355839

THE former Catholic bishop of Newcastle has claimed he was unaware of documentary evidence dating back decades that one of his priests was abusing children, despite the files being stored in his own office.

Giving evidence yesterday to the NSW special commission of inquiry into church child abuse, Michael Malone said he had been too busy to access the files, which contained allegations of abuse dating back to 1954.

"I don't know where (the inquiry's) investigation team found all these letters. Presumably they would have accessed the archives of the diocese, and that's a luxury I didn't have," he said.

"I was bishop of a large, busy diocese."

Bishop Malone said he had not seen many of the documents, which included letters to and from abusive priest Denis McAlinden, until a few weeks ago.