AUSTRALIA
7 News
Megan Neil – AAP on February 17, 2017
Only 63 of the hundreds of priests alleged to have sexually abused children in Australia have been referred to the Holy See, although half of those have been removed from the priesthood.
More than 570 priests have been identified as alleged child abusers in claims made to the Catholic Church in Australia, along with almost 700 non-ordained religious brothers and sisters.
The child sex abuse royal commission’s analysis of Australian church records shows 63 priests have been the subject of a canonical referral to the Holy See, representing nine per cent of priests who were alleged perpetrators.
The priests have been laicised – released from the clerical state and returned to lay status after a request by the priest himself – in 42 per cent of cases.
Thirteen per cent have been dismissed, with dismissal described as the most severe disciplinary measure in canon law that can be sought by a Catholic Church authority.
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