Catholic Bishop Ashamed of What Happened to Abused Children at Neerkol

The Guardian
April 20, 2015

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/apr/20/catholic-bishop-ashamed-of-what-happened-to-abused-children-at-neerkol

‘I failed them and for that I’ll be forever sorry,’ says Bishop Brian Heenan (right, with Francis Sullivan) over what happened to former orphanage residents. Photograph: Miranda Forster/AAP

A retired Catholic bishop who was slow to act on child sexual abuse allegations against members of his clergy says he feels shamed by what happened to victims.

Bishop Brian Heenan told a royal commission on Monday he felt a “terrible sense of shame and disgrace” over what happened to former residents of the Neerkol orphanage, near Rockhampton.

Former orphanage residents last week told the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse of the physical, sexual and psychological abuse they suffered at the hands of nuns and priests before the orphanage closed in 1978.

Heenan was the head of the local Catholic diocese in the 1990s when abuse victims came forward. He publicly dismissed the allegations as “scurrilous” and allowed the priest at the centre of the claims to continue working in the church, including alongside children, for several years.

Heenan later formally apologised to victims. He told the commission that hearing the former residents’ stories again had reinforced to him their “dreadful” experience.

“My heart goes out to you ... and I just hope and pray that the experience for you this week has brought you some relief,” he said.

Last week, the retired bishop admitted having failed to protect children from the paedophile priest Reginald Durham.

He admitted his initial response to child sexual abuse allegations at Neerkol had been inadequate and motivated by a desire to protect the church’s reputation.

Outside the royal commission, Heenan read a statement to reporters saying he would like to again apologise for the harm to former Neerkol residents, and for the way he responded to them.

“I failed them and for that I’ll be forever sorry,” he said.

Abuse victim Mary Adams, who appeared before the inquiry last week, said she felt the bishop had endeavoured to right the wrongs of the past.

“I really do feel that he’s made a lot of effort,” she said.

The public hearing in Rockhampton is expected to conclude this week.