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The new Catholic Archbishop of Sydney has expressed shame and sorrow at child abuse by clergy and at the Church’s abandonment of victims.
In his first news conference last week, Archbishop-elect Anthony Fisher, OP, said he was determined to do everything he could to make sure the abuse didn’t happen again.
To the survivors of abuse and to the Church’s youth, Archbishop Fisher said: “To both of them I say, no excuses, no cover-ups. I am ashamed and I’m sorry for where we’ve failed you in the past.”
He said victims have to be put first.
“It’s been harrowing to listen to the stories of the survivors of abuse as I have done here as Bishop of Parramatta,” he said.
“The Catholic Church in Australia is going through a period of public scrutiny and self-examination,” he said.
“I hope it will emerge from this purified, humbler, more compassionate and spiritually regenerated.”
But victims’ advocates in Australia believe the new archbishop will be little different in this area from his predecessor, the combative Cardinal George Pell.
Victims’ advocates cited “callous” comments Fisher made at World Youth Day in 2008, when he said the parents of two abuse victims, one of whom who had subsequently committed suicide, were “dwelling angrily on old wounds”.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, Professor Greg Craven, said Fisher was referring to journalists in that remark.
But Nicky Davis of SNAP said: “Many survivors believe the only place where we will be first under Bishop Fisher is in media statements, mentioned dismissively with an insincere apology, and then ignored.”
A former lawyer, Archbishop-elect Fisher was ordained as a Dominican priest in 1991.
He was appointed auxiliary bishop in Sydney in 2003 and has been Bishop of Parramatta since 2010.
He also founded the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Melbourne and was co-ordinator of WYD2008.
Archbishop-elect Fisher, who was appointed to his new role last week by Pope Francis, said he wants to build on the strong foundation left by Cardinal Pell.
The new archbishop said the Church has a role in helping a nation of migrants live together.
One day after being named archbishop, he said he would try to meet Muslim leaders in Sydney after the anti-terror raids.
He said faith leaders had to play a role in ensuring calm and harmony.
Sources
- The Guardian
- Sydney Morning Herald
- ABC
- SBS
- Image: SBS
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News category: World.
