BishopAccountability.org
	Sacked Priest Told Not to Take Part in Service ABC [Australia] September 13, 2006 http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1739682.htm The head of the Catholic Church's national committee for child protection says sacked Hunter Valley priest Father Guy Hartcher had no authorisation to be part of a planned mass in the region next month. The Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, Michael Malone, has now intervened to stop the service going ahead. It was being organised by the parish council at Gresford after Father Hartcher was stood down in June because of a complaint about his suitability for working with children. The state ombudsman's office says it is satisfied with the Church's handling of its investigation into past claims of sexual abuse, its findings and the actions taken. Brother Peter Burke from the National Professional Standards Committee says the planned mass was unauthorised. "The Bishop has given very firm instructions that it's not to go ahead," he said. "It was organised without any authority and it can't go ahead without any authority and this guy, our understanding is, had his faculties removed and he can't say a public mass."
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