AUSTRALIA
9 News
AAP
Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart says the protection of children has always been the priority, but abuse victims disagree he has been quick to act on child sex abuse claims.
Archbishop Hart said when there’s litigation between the church and abuse victims, his attitude had been that the church had a responsibility to meet victims’ needs with compassion and resolve their claims fairly and as early as possible.
“When these criminals do these awful things, it gives me no joy whatsoever and that’s why I’ve always been … very quick to act because the protection of children is the absolute priority,” he told the abuse royal commission on Monday.
Archbishop Hart also told the commission he was conscious of the “heavy burden of responsibility” owed generally by the church to Emma and Katie Foster, two sisters abused by pedophile priest Kevin O’Donnell.
Emma later took her own life and Katie was left permanently disabled in a road accident.
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