The archbishop of Melbourne has described the scheme implemented by the church to investigate child sex abuse claims as compassionate and caring, despite victims heavily criticising it.

Archbishop Denis Hart said the Melbourne Response, implemented in 1996 by the Catholic archdiocese of Melbourne and still investigating child sex abuse claims today, operated with integrity.

“I think that the church seeks always to act according to justice, charity and compassion,” Hart told the royal commission into institutional responses into child sexual abuse on Monday.

“There is evidence from time to time of very real compassion shown. I know that’s not universal, but it shows that it is possible and it shows the type of work that we are doing, that it [compassion] has to be an objective.”

When the hearings into the Melbourne Response began last Monday, victims reported feeling the scheme lacked compassion, and said key staff involved in working with victims were not independent from the church.

Anthony and Chrissie Foster, whose daughters Emma and Katie suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a priest over several years, told the commission last week they felt uncomfortable about the role of Prof Richard Ball in the Melbourne Response.

They repeatedly objected to his being appointed by the church to allocate counselling services through the scheme, because he had previously provided character statements for accused paedophile priests in court.

“Anthony and I were profoundly shocked that Professor Ball was responsible for the counselling arm of the Melbourne Response,” Mrs Foster told the commission.

“I felt that this was not fair to victims. To me, it demonstrated a lack of understanding of how victims might feel and the need for a separate, independent and safe place for victims to go for help.”

The commission had also heard from witness Paul Hersbach, who told how Father Victor Rubeo abused him from 1985 to 1988, after having previously abused both his father and uncle when they were boys.

He described how the independent commissioner appointed by the church to investigate child sex abuse claims, Peter O’Callaghan QC, met him and told him he did not think there was any point going to police.

Six weeks later, he received a letter from O’Callaghan that said on the assumption Hersbach would not go to the police, O’Callaghan was satisfied that he was a victim of child sexual abuse.

But Hart said he believed the independent commissioners appointed by the church had acted with integrity.

“I must say with the independent commissioners, I’ve been very moved at times at what people have reported back to me, maybe not all, but what people have reported back to me about how caring, you know in the face of having to establish facts, eminent lawyers can be,” he said.

“The same thing has applied to other interactions.

“I remember one interaction where the independent commissioner was so concerned about the welfare of a victim that he had not only paid the fare home but rang the persons home to see that they were alright when they got home.”

Hart told the commission he had appointed a former federal court judge, Donnell Ryan QC, to review the compensation scheme offered by the Melbourne Response. The compensation provided to victims through the scheme is currently capped at $75,000, though was $55,000 until 2008.

Hart did not say how long he expected Ryan’s review to take or when it would start.

Victims had previously told the commission the compensation was inadequate. Hersbach had received $17,500 through the scheme, while the Fosters had opted to pursue legal action outside of the church.

They won a settlement with the church of $750,000, having previously being told they would receive $50,000 for each of their daughters through the Melbourne Response. They gave evidence that Hart had told church lawyers to use all defences necessary to fight their claim.

Anthony Foster told Guardian Australia he was not convinced by Hart’s evidence on Monday or his commitment to modifying the church’s compensation scheme.

“Well I think what we saw was a fair level of hypocrisy from him,” he said.

“Hart and others from the church have proudly proclaimed that the psychological services offered by the church are uncapped, yet they try and justify why the financial side is capped.

“There can be no logical reason for that as they deserve compensation for all they have lost in their life as a result of being sexually abused as a child.”

He said he was not convinced Ryan’s review of the Melbourne Response compensation scheme would be independent, and that the church had the power to make changes now rather than initiate another review.

Hart will finish giving evidence when the hearing resumes Tuesday morning.