MAITLAND-Newcastle Bishop Michael Malone has acknowledged that a former acting bishop, the late Monsignor Patrick Cotter, "has been judged negligent" over his cover-up of the activities of pedophile priest Vince Ryan, in a surprising statement to the region's Catholics.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bishop Malone, who has repeatedly refused to speak to The Herald about Ryan and the cover-up by Monsignor Cotter, told parishioners in a statement posted on the diocese's website that the "suspicion of cover-ups hang over [the late] Bishop Leo Clarke and myself".
He admitted that "with the benefit of hindsight more could have been done to confront sexual abuse in the Church".
"I truly regret that this did not happen and approach these matters with greater understanding these days."
The statement, which the diocese refused to release to the newspaper on Saturday, was written after a series of articles outlining a police investigation of the monsignor and others in 1996 that uncovered Monsignor Cotter's decision to "say nothing" about Ryan's offending as early as 1975.
Ryan went on to molest at least 20 children until he was arrested in late 1995. A significant number of them successfully sued the church for failing in its duty of care.
Monsignor Cotter died last month. Bishop Malone conducted the funeral attended by priests from across the region.
The funeral surprised police who investigated the Ryan and Cotter matters, and appalled the woman who was in 1974 the first to tell the monsignor that Ryan had molested a child. The boy, her son, was aged six.
"In my opinion he [Monsignor Cotter] should just have been buried and a notice put in the paper to say he was gone," the woman said.
In his weekend statement Bishop Malone called on parishioners to "support one another" during "these long and difficult days" following Saturday's Herald reports.
Bishop Malone described the statement as a "message of encouragement" to the region's Catholics, and said it was "unfair" to judge "the decisions of Church leaders from over 30 years ago with today's knowledge of similar incidents".
In articles on Monday, The Herald recounted how one woman phoned Monsignor Cotter about Ryan in 1991. When she told the monsignor Ryan was molesting boys and asked him what he was doing about it, the monsignor responded, "He's not doing any of it any more", and finished by saying "We'll deal with it".
The woman said she wept after making the call.
Asked to comment specifically about his statement that there was a "suspicion of cover-ups [which] hang over Bishop Leo Clarke and myself", a spokeswoman for Bishop Malone said: "Bishop Michael won't be commenting any further beyond the statement he made on Friday and the statement on Saturday."
The Bishop's statement from the diocese website Saturday 22nd September 2007
A Statement from Bishop Michael Malone to the diocesan faith community in response to Newcastle Herald coverage
My dear brothers and sisters,
In the light of today's publicity in the Newcastle Herald regarding the Catholic Church and past sexual abuse, I thought it opportune to write a message of encouragement to you.
It is unfair of anyone to judge the decisions of Church leaders from over 30 years ago with today's knowledge of similar incidents. Back then the possibility of an adult priest abusing a child sexually was considered too abhorrent for words.
Victims of child sexual abuse will tell you that their complaints in those days were very often simply disbelieved and dismissed as mischievous.
Now we know how wrong it was to be so disbelieving, not to mention terribly naive.
Mgr Patrick Cotter has been judged negligent and suspicion of cover-ups hang over Bishop Leo Clarke and myself. With the benefit of hindsight more could have been done to confront sexual abuse in the Church. I truly regret that this did not happen and approach these matters with greater understanding these days.
I work closely with and am advised by our Child Protection and Professional Conduct Unit (Zimmerman House) which was established in 2005. This is staffed by professional, compassionate people who are committed to creating a safe environment for children and vulnerable adults in our parishes, schools and other Church organisations.
I feel for you and with you, my brothers and sisters, as we continue to face the stigma of abuse within our ranks. Every allegation impacts on each of us.
Perceptions that all priests are somehow stained by abuse abound.
As difficult as it is, it would be wrong of us to think, either on the one hand that all allegations are false or on the other hand that Church leaders are too quick to believe complainants.
Jesus Christ asked his disciples: 'Can you drink the cup that I must drink?' When they replied 'Yes', he said to them 'Very well, you shall drink my cup.' (Matt 20:20-23).
We are 'drinking that cup' now, as well as 'taking up his Cross'. (Matt 16:24).
We need to do both with humility and commitment as authentic disciples.
All of us need to support one another in prayerful understanding during these long and difficult days.
With love
Most Reverend Michael Malone
Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle
