Church Urges All Catholics to Act on Abuse

News.com.au
November 20, 2013

http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/church-urges-all-catholics-to-act-on-abuse/story-e6frfku9-1226764776408

ALL Catholics must take action on child sex abuse, the head of the body set-up to represent the Catholic Church says.

Truth Justice and Healing Council chief executive Francis Sullivan said the various inquiries into abuse provided an opportunity to reform the church and address a scandal that has driven people from it for so long.

The church has been at the centre of three inquiries, including the now-concluded Victorian inquiry, the royal commission and a NSW inquiry into abuse in the Diocese of Maitland and Newcastle.

Mr Sullivan said community disgust and outrage will be unleashed as the inquiries continue, but all Catholics could work to restore trust in the institution with "action and authenticity".

"We might not be responsible for the past, but we are most definitely responsible for our future," Mr Sullivan said in Ballarat, where some of the worst clergy pedophiles offended.

"We, all of us, need to take responsibility for the church that emerges."

About 700 victims had already spoken to the royal commission and another 500 were waiting for meetings, with more making themselves known each day, Mr Sullivan said.

Their evidence will prompt more questions of church leaders, he said.

"We must not go into a defensive mode that prevents us from seeing things as they really are," Mr Sullivan said.

He said the Catholic Church endorses the key recommendations of the Victorian inquiry, covering changes to the criminal law, easier access to civil justice, an independent alternative source of justice, greater scrutiny of organisations and improvements to prevention systems and processes.

"It will only be by the church's actions - not by its rhetoric, that we can make claim to building a better future," Mr Sullivan said.