AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
July 10, 2013
Paul Maguire
AAP
Michael Malone’s first official duty as bishop of Newcastle was to strip Denis McAlinden of his priesthood for sexually abusing children.
Bishop Malone began giving evidence on Wednesday at a special NSW Government commission of inquiry into how the church and police handled child sexual abuse allegations against Fr Denis McAlinden and another priest, James Fletcher.
Bishop Malone was appointed in 1995 and retired in 2011, after dealing with a succession of child abuse by clergy in his diocese.
Bishop Malone admitted that the diocese had stored confidential documents dating back to the 1970s confirming McAlinden was a known pedophile, with allegations reaching as far back as the 1950s.
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