The First Assembly of Australia’s Plenary Council held few surprises. The program made sure of it. Proceedings were carefully choreographed and the agenda was deliberately anodyne. It took several days before participants found their feet. The ‘deep listening’ process of scripture reflection and sharing in small groups did engender a spirit of collegiality. At the Read more
Many have asked whether the Catholic Church can survive the shock of the conviction of Cardinal George Pell and the impact on its credibility, even utility. Yet to assume that the institution is exclusively the Church is to miss the point: Cardinal Pell has been sentenced, not Australia’s Catholics. Believers, and those who identify with Read more
Child sex abuse is a national tragedy, says Justice Peter McClellan. McClellan is the Chair of Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Commission learned that child sex abuse has occurred in almost every type of institution where children lived or attended. Furthermore, “it is not a case of a few Read more
Australia’s royal commission on child sexual abuse has announced it is to have a wide-ranging extra hearing focusing on the Catholic Church. The Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will hold a final hearing regarding the Catholic Church in February, 2017, the Australian Associated Press reported. The commission is seeking submissions about Read more
Up to 60,000 Australian survivors of child sex abuse could receive monetary compensation through a national redress scheme if Labor wins the next federal election. Labor will set aside A$33million for the creation of a scheme. This is aimed at offering counselling services and compensation for survivors of institutional child sex abuse. The agency would Read more
A Vatican tribunal to judge bishops in connection with child abuse wouldn’t investigate any Australian bishops until a royal commission has concluded. Last week, the Vatican announced a new tribunal within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith “to judge bishops with regard to crimes of the abuse of office when connected to the Read more
A Catholic Church spokesman is surprised at the Australian government’s rejection of a proposed national compensation scheme for child sex abuse victims. The Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council chief, Francis Sullivan, said this to a royal commission hearing last week. Mr Sullivan said the Church supported a national scheme administered by the federal government Read more
The Catholic Church in Australia has proposed a national redress scheme for survivors of child sex abuse, funded by institutions responsible for the harm. The Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council told Australia’s Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that such a scheme should be run by the federal government. The council’s Read more
The Catholic Church in Australia has said it will allow an independent board to monitor how it handles clerical sex abuse and publicly report on its compliance. This step is part of a reform agenda described as potentially “the most significant overhaul of the Church’s approach to clerical sexual abuse in its more than 200-year Read more
The Catholic Church in Australia has declared it wants the truth exposed before the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, and has pledged it will pay appropriate compensation to victims. The chief executive of the Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council — which will represent the Church at the royal commission — Read more