'Bad' Files Kept on Pedophile Priests

9 News
July 29, 2013

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/07/29/15/03/priest-denies-hearing-abuse-claim-inquiry

"Good" and "bad" personnel files were kept on Hunter Valley Catholic priests, a special NSW commission of inquiry into pedophile activity has heard.

This has been disclosed by Elizabeth Doyle, appointed as secretary to Bishop Leo Clarke in 1993. She retained the position for two subsequent bishops, Michael Malone and the current Bill Wright.

Addressing the inquiry on Monday, Ms Doyle said the term "bad" files referred to confidential or "special issues" files that contained documents relating to all kinds of misconduct matters, including child sexual abuse.

She said she was unaware of "bad" files during her first two years in the job, but if they existed they would probably have been kept in Bishop Clarke's upstairs office at the Maitland/Newcastle diocese headquarters.

He never discussed such matters with her, typed some of his own letters, did his own filing and she never opened any letters addressed to him.

Ms Doyle became aware of "bad" files after Bishop Malone began his 16-year tenure in 1995 when they were located in filing cabinets behind individual priests' "good" files.

The commission, which began its eighth week of public hearings in Newcastle Supreme Court on Monday, is examining how church leaders and police handled child sexual abuse allegations involving now deceased Hunter Valley priests, Denis McAlinden and James Fletcher.

The inquiry was triggered by whistleblower policeman, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, who asserted that church officials covered up criminal offences and were aided by a "Catholic mafia" within the police force.

Ms Doyle said that although she typed some letters related to pedophile matters for Bishops Clarke and Malone in her first couple of years as secretary, she did not know what they were about as they did not mention anything about child sexual abuse.

"I didn't even know the issue with Fr McAlinden (in 1995)," she said.

"During Bishop Michael's time more things came to the surface and sexual abuse was mentioned.

"But most of what I learned about Fr McAlinden I learned from The Newcastle Herald."

As child sexual abuse allegations involving several Hunter Valley Catholic priests became more public, Ms Doyle said Bishop Malone directed her to provide police with all the information they requested, so she did.

Earlier, Father Bob Searle denied hearing a former altar boy yelling outside his presbytery in the late 1990s about the "filthy things that priests do to boys".

Fr Searle told the inquiry the only thing he could recall the boy saying was "nobody loves me, nobody loves me".

In evidence earlier this month, Det Insp Fox - who arranged for the boy to make a police statement for a prosecution case against pedophile priest James Fletcher - gave a conflicting account.

The commission continues on Tuesday.