AUSTRALIA
Mercury
JESSICA HOWARD and REBEKAH ISON, Mercury
February 6, 2017
HOBART Archbishop Julian Porteous has written an open letter to Tasmanians apologising on behalf of the Catholic Church for the damage done to victims of sexual abuse.
As the final hearing of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse continues, the letter said it would be a “distressing time” for victims and there would be shame brought on the Catholic community.
“Here in Tasmania I have initiated a program entitled ‘Safe Communities’ which is drawing on the outcomes from the Royal Commission and will ensure the highest level of safety for children and vulnerable people,” the letter said.
The royal commission heard that Catholics must hang their “heads in shame” after data on child sex abuse in the church in Australia showed 7 per cent of priests were alleged paedophiles.
The chief executive of the church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council, Francis Sullivan, held back tears as he talked about the “massive failure on the part of the Catholic Church in Australia to protect children from abusers”.
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