AUSTRALIA
Radio Australia
Child sex abuse inquiry: Senior Catholic nun apologises to victims from Neerkol orphanage in Queensland
By William Rollo
A senior Catholic nun has apologised to victims of sexual abuse at St Joseph’s Orphanage at Neerkol, near Rockhampton, during her testimony at a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearing.
Hundreds of children were beaten, molested and raped at St Joseph’s over three decades up until the late 1970s.
Sisters of Mercy Australia leader Berneice Loch finished her testimony this morning at the inquiry, which is investigating systemic abuse at the orphanage.
Sister Loch was a senior member of the Sisters of Mercy when allegations of abuse at the orphanage first came to light in the 1990s.
She now leads the order’s Australian branch.
Under cross-examination this morning, Sister Loch apologised to the victims of abuse.
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