The change takes place on January 1, 2023.

The move by Dooley comes after a report shows former Dunedin bishop, John Kavanagh, did not act on a complaint of sexual abuse.

Dooley says systemic failures at the time let survivors down badly and it is wrong to have a school associated with Kavanagh's name.

"A number of survivors of abuse in the Dunedin diocese have asked me to change the name of the college," says Dooley.

"Having the college named after the bishop of that time represents for a number of people the systemic failures of that time and contributes to their trauma.

"I would hope that the renaming of the college will contribute to some healing and reaffirm our desire as a church to listen to victims of abuse and work hard to provide a safe environment for those in our care," Dooley says.

Renaming the college is the result of an investigation after a number of Dunedin survivors complained that Kavanagh failed to act on claims of sexual abuse by priests.

The result of the investigation shows that seven priests, two brothers and one lay teacher sexually abused children and, in one case, an adult during Bishop Kavanagh's time as Bishop of Dunedin.

In line with Pope Francis' 2019 decree, "Vos estis lux mundi" the Metropolitan Archbishop of New Zealand, Cardinal John Dew, requested the inquiry.

In a statement, Dew reported that the investigation showed Kavanagh failed to act on one complaint.

Kavanagh was Bishop of Dunedin for 28 years; from 1957 to 1985.

Dew said the investigation found that Kavanagh knew of complaints relating to two priests: Fathers Freek Schokker in about 1963 and Magnus Murray in about 1972.

He said the investigation also showed Kavanagh did not know of the other cases because complaints were not made until some years after Kavanagh died.

"In the case of Murray, the Complaints Assessment Committee found that Murray admitted the abuse to Bishop Kavanagh and was sent to Australia for treatment," said Dew.

"Because of that admission, and by sending Murray for treatment, Bishop Kavanagh did what he was required to under the Church canon law at the time.

After returning from treatment in Australia Magnus Murray did not return to Dunedin but became a priest in the Auckland Diocese.

In 2003 he was jailed for five years after admitting 10 offences against four Dunedin boys from 1958 to 1972.

Murray was removed from the priesthood in 2019.

"In the case of Father Schokker, Bishop Kavanagh should have investigated the complaint, but failed to do so," Cardinal Dew added.

Freek Schokker was a priest from the Netherlands working in the diocese at the time of the complaint. He was accused of abusing two young people. He left New Zealand at some stage after the complaint and was told not to come back. He died in the Netherlands in 1993, at age 81.

"There has been considerable public interest in this inquiry," said Cardinal Dew.

"Survivors of abuse committed in the Dunedin diocese have called for Kavanagh College in Dunedin to be renamed, based on their belief that Bishop Kavanagh did not act properly on complaints of abuse.

"The outcome of the inquiry is that Bishop Kavanagh failed to act as required at the time on one of the two complaints he knew of. It is now for Bishop Dooley to decide the future of the name of the college.

"I accept that some survivors may not be happy with the decision that Bishop Kavanagh acted properly in respect to Magnus Murray. But that was in the context of canon law of the time.

"We take immediate action on complaints of abuse today. We are committed to a safe environment for all within the Church community," said Dew.

The inquiry was conducted by the Church's complaints body which engaged senior Christchurch investigator Micky Earl of the firm Corporate Risks.

Earlier Male Survivors Otago spokesman Michael Chamberlain said he was quietly hopeful the name would change but was unhappy the investigation was to be conducted by the Church's National Office of Professional Standards.

"It's coming out, and it will come out from others, how much blood Kavanagh's got on his hands," Chamberlain told the Otago Daily Times in 2020.

Sources

• ODT
• Supplied Catholic Bishops Conference
• Scoop
• CathNews

It has been alleged that the late Dunedin bishop (pictured) failed to deal properly with complaints of abuse.

As an example, the Otago Daily Times (ODT) alleges the transgressions of former Catholic priest, Magnus Murray, who offended against boys in Dunedin from the 1950s to the 1970s, were brought to Kavanagh's attention in 1972.

The ODT says Kavanagh's response was to move Murray to Australia. He later allowed him to resume public ministry in the North Island, where more victims have since emerged.

In November last year, the Catholic Church appointed an independent investigator to investigate whether Kavanagh took proper action when he received complaints of sexual abuse during his tenure.

He was bishop from 1957 until 1985.

Metropolitan Archbishop of New Zealand Cardinal John Dew says the investigator has presented the draft report to the church's National Office for Professional Standards.

"Once the report has been finalised, the Church's Complaints Assessment Committee will review the investigator's report and make a recommendation to me on Bishop Kavanagh's actions," Dew says.

"I will consider the recommendation of the Complaints Assessment Committee and make a decision whether the complaint regarding Bishop Kavanagh is to be upheld. I will advise the Bishop of Dunedin, Bishop Dooley, of my decision."

It is possible the investigation could lead to Dunedin's Kavanagh College changing its name.

The Catholic, state-integrated, co-educational, secondary school located in central Dunedin opened in 1989.

Source

• Otago Daily Times
• Image: Otago Daily Times

Concerns around former Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, Bishop John Kavanagh are the reason for the push to change Dunedin high school's name.

An independent investigation has been started into the way Kavanagh handled sexual abuse complaints during his time as bishop.

More, who has been a barrister for 50 years and is Catholic, said regardless of the investigation's outcome, the school should be changed to St Paul's.

Kavanagh College opened in 1989 as a result of a merger between St Paul's High School for boys and Moreau College for girls.

The Vatican was informed last year of the concerns about Kavanagh, however, because Kavanagh died in 1985 the investigation will be independently managed in New Zealand.

The Vatican's scope is limited to complaints about living clergy.

A concern about Kavanagh involves his response when informed of the actions of former Catholic priest, Magnus Murray.

Murray, who offended against boys in Dunedin from the 1950s to the 1970s, was brought to Kavanagh's attention in 1972.

Kavanagh's response was to move Murray to Australia. He later allowed him to return to New Zealand and resume public ministry in the North Island. More victims have emerged from that period.

Male Survivors Otago spokesman Michael Chamberlain says he is unhappy the investigation is being conducted by the Church.

The church's National Office for Professional Standards will undertake the investigation, which it has contracted to Christchurch senior investigator Micky Earl, of the firm Corporate Risks.

Chamberlain says he is hopeful Kavanagh College's name will be changed.

"It's coming out, and it will come out from others, how much blood Kavanagh's got on his hands."

Earlier this week Kavanagh College's board of trustees chairwoman Barb Long declined to comment on the investigation.

The investigation is independent and the school is not part of it, she explained.

Source

• Otago Daily Times
• Image: Catholic Diocese of Dunedin

The New Zealand bishops' conference (NZBC) says these concerns involved a number of victims of abuse in the Dunedin Diocese who had complained that Kavanagh had not properly dealt with their complaints of sexual abuse by priests.

The bishops' concerns about Kavanagh were referred to the Vatican late last year, in line with Pope Francis' 2019 decree, "Vos estis lux mundi."

New Zealand's Metropolitan Archbishop, Cardinal John Dew has now asked the National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) to look into Kavanagh's response to these complaints while he was bishop from 1957 until he died in 1985.

NOPS is the Church's complaints body. It, in turn, appointed Christchurch senior investigator Micky Earl to conduct the investigation.

Dew says Earl will focus on finding out what information Kavanagh had regarding complaints of sexual abuse. He will also look into whether Kavanagh met his obligations as bishop in how he responded to and managed those complaints.

One of the priests Kavanagh was allegedly told about was Magnus Murray, who offended against boys in Dunedin from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Newspaper reports say Murray's offences were brought to Kavanagh's attention in 1972.

Kavanagh's response was to move Murray to Australia. He later allowed him to resume public ministry in the North Island. New victims have since emerged from that period.

Abuse survivors, their supporters and a group of former pupils have called for the name of Dunedin's Kavanagh College - named after the late bishop - to be changed.

Kavanagh College Board of Trustees chairwoman Barb Long has declined to comment about any decisions about renaming the school at this stage. This is because the investigation is independent and the school was not part of it, she says.

Dew is also waiting for the outcome of the investigation and its recommendations. He says these could help form the basis of any decision to rename the college.

Anyone who has any concerns regarding inappropriate behaviour in a Church setting should contact NOPS to report their concerns, Dew says.

"NOPS operates independently of diocesan and Congregation structures. It contracts professional, experienced and independent third-party investigators to conduct investigations on its behalf.

"We are committed to a safe environment for all within the Church community. Any form of misconduct or inappropriate behaviour in the Church community is not acceptable."

NOPS can be contacted by free phone on 0800 114 622, or by email at prof.standards@nzcbc.org.nz Go here for the NOPS website, which includes the latest edition of A Path to Healing.

In addition to contacting NOPS, the Church also encourages victims of abuse to contact the police or the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care.

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Otago Daily Times
• New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: NZ Catholic

Pressure has been growing for a name change following revelations the late bishop sent Dunedin priest Father Magnus Murray to Australia for counselling instead of contacting the police Read more

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Read Kavanagh College removes name from blazer for next year

The period under review is when Bishop John Kavanagh was bishop.

Recently Pope Francis' published new procedures for making bishops accountable for their actions and non-actions.

The new procedures give power to a Metropolitan Archbishop to refer to the Vatican possible mis-handling of bishops from suffragan dioceses.

Kavanagh the fourth Catholic bishop of Dunedin died in 1985.

In 2018 public controversy arose about Dunedin city's only Catholic secondary school being named after him.

• Source: ODT