But nor can all Catholics be tarnished by the actions of one man, Monsignor John Harrison, (pictured), of the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, says.

"It actually reflects on the rest of us and everyone gets tarred, and yet there are so many good people [in the Church]."

Fr Harrison told ODT Insight the complaints against Fr Murray were handled according to the processes and understanding of paedophilia of the day.

He was not aware of the offending before complaints began to emerge, and nor were, to the best of his knowledge, others within the Church - although he still wondered about that.

"I always wondered myself how somebody else didn't stumble across it."

Bishop John Kavanagh had also been "ahead of his time" when he responded to complaints levelled against Fr Murray by sending him to Sydney for counselling, Fr Harrison said.

It was hoped treatment could cure him of his affliction, after which he could be returned to public ministry, he said.

There was no intention to allow him to resume public ministry in Sydney, as he remained the Dunedin diocese's responsibility while there, Fr Harrison said.

The fact that he had resumed his duties as a priest while there was "not knowledge we're aware of".

"If the Archbishop over there allowed that to happen, well, that wasn't Bishop Kavanagh's doing.

"He went there to get treatment."

The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney has not responded to repeated requests for comment from ODT Insight on Fr Murray's time in Sydney.

Fr Harrison also defended Bishop Kavanagh's decision to excardinate - or transfer - Fr Murray to the Auckland diocese, allowing him to resume public ministry in New Zealand, beginning in 1976.

He denied Bishop Kavanagh had concealed Fr Murray's crimes, saying it had been disclosed to the Sydney Archdiocese and to Bishop Mackay before Fr Murray was transferred to Auckland.

Bishop Kavanagh had also met at least one parent to discuss Fr Murray's offending face-to-face, prior to him being sent to Australia, and that parent "had every right to go to police".

"The Church wouldn't have said 'don't'.

"I think the sad thing is, I'm aware one of the very early victims did actually say something to the parents [and was not listened to].

"When I received that information, I just about wept. If that had been picked up - and I'm not casting any aspersions on the parents at all - that would have perhaps prevented a whole lot more."

Asked if less people might have been placed in harm's way if Bishop Kavanagh had gone to police, or defrocked Fr Murray immediately, Fr Harrison said there would have been "perhaps a lesser likelihood" of harm.

"But I don't think you could say that you would have prevented it." Continue reading

• Image: ODT

Dr Rocio Figueroa (pictured) of Good Shepherd College, Te Hepara Pai, says the Church's response needs to be "centred on the victims, not covering up the perpetrators or trying to protect the institution."

If Murray were convicted of his alleged crimes now, there would be no possibility of his continuing as a priest, she says.

She believes that even now, at 91, he should be defrocked.

"I think that if the victims ask, because they want this guy to be laicized (defrocked), I think it's the right thing to do.

"We have to listen to the victims.

"The victims have never been listened to, and we have to make justice.

"The only way we will heal the victims is with justice."

Figueroa said, even as a practising Catholic, the church's handling of Fr Murray had been "wrong."

"We have had a culture of secrecy and silence.

"This silence has benefited the abusers and not the victims."

In 2003, Murray admitted 10 charges against four boys in Otago between 1958 - 1962.

He was jailed for five years but served less than three.

A victim, then a 10-year-old boy, has spent 35 years on a benefit, coping only with part-time work while battling his own psychiatric problems.

While he has retained his Catholic faith he is a long way from forgiving.

"I'm still angry because he ruined my life. I'm still very angry," he told the ODT.

Originally from the Otago diocese, Murray remains a priest living in an Auckland retirement facility receiving dementia care.

Even though Murray lives in Auckland, he remains the responsibility of Hamilton Bishop Steve Lowe.

Sources

• Otago Daily Times
• Otago Daily Times
• Good Shepherd College
• Image: Altavoz