Former Senior Catholic Priest Quizzed on Memory at Abuse Inquiry

By Dan Box
The Australian
July 18, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/former-senior-catholic-priest-quizzed-on-memory-at-abuse-inquiry/story-e6frg6nf-1226681360093

A FORMER senior Catholic cleric has been questioned over the state of his memory after denying he was selective in the evidence he gave to a NSW government inquiry into child abuse committed by priests.

The former vicar-general of the Maitland-Newcastle diocese, William Burston, used the phrase "I can't recall" or similar more than 50 times this morning in response to questions about his knowledge of this abuse.

Father Burston told the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry his memory had been affected by a series of operations under anaesthetic in recent years, although he had not consulted a doctor about this memory loss.

As a result, he said, he could not recall when he was first told about reports of abuse committed by a priest, Denis McAlinden, and which the diocese did not pass on to the police.

Giving evidence, Father Burston agreed that his memory had been quite precise on other subjects, including the dates on which a colleague had taken leave, and the names of his secretaries from around this time.

"Is the position that you've been selective in your evidence ... is it?" Father Burston was asked by counsel assisting the inquiry David Kell.

"No," Father Burston replied.

The cleric also said he was unaware the diocese had twice bought one-way plane tickets for McAlinden to travel to Papua New Guinea and England, although he said such an arrangement would be unusual.

The inquiry also heard that, when confronted with evidence that another priest, Jim Fletcher, was also abusing children, Father Burston was initially "uncertain" the priest could be guilty.

Before Fletcher's arrest and ultimate conviction, the inquiry heard, Father Burston told another church official that the priest's alleged victim "had been demonstrating bizarre behaviour for years".

Father Burston said the victim's claim to have been sexually abused by Fletcher "was just another sign of (his) psychological disturbance", the inquiry heard.

Fletcher died in jail in 2006. McAlinden died in 2005, before he could be charged by NSW Police.

The inquiry continues.