Former Federal Court Judge, Antony Whitlam QC has been appointed to head an inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse amid suggestions senior priests failed to pass on knowledge of abuse to state authorities.
Armidale Bishop Michael Kennedy and Parramatta Bishop Anthony Fisher OP made the joint announcement on Tuesday, as the alleged incidences of abuse occurred in both their dioceses.
It follows Bishop Michael Kennedy’s July 4 commitment to investigate certain matters raised by the ABC’s Four Corners program Unholy Silence, which screened on July 2.
“The recent reports (both on television and in local and state newspapers) regarding events which occurred in the 1980s and 1990s concerning a person described as “Father F” have disturbed me deeply,” Bishop Kennedy said in a statement.
“I share the community abhorrence of all child abuse and am keen that perpetrators are brought to justice, and that victims are able to receive justice and pastoral care,” the bishop said, encouraging victims to go to the police.
Four Corners revealed that three senior diocesan priests at the time, Fr Brian Lucas, Fr Wayne Peters and Fr John Usher, held a meeting with Fr F on September 3, 1992.
Sydney Cardinal George Pell, who was an auxiliary bishop in Melbourne at the time of the meeting, told the program a case note showed Fr F had not made any admissions during the meeting.
The three investigating priests thought Fr F lacked credibility and posed a danger, recommending he be stood down to Armidale’s then-Bishop, Kevin Manning.
A letter Fr Wayne Peters wrote, days after the meeting occurred, seemed to suggest a different version of events.
Fr Peters’ letter said Fr F had admitted, during the course of the meeting, to sexually interfering with five boys aged around 10 and 11, between 1982 and 1984, while assistant priest at Moree.
Fr Brian Lucas responded on July 5 to suggestions he and his fellow investigators had been negligent in not referring the information to police. Fr Lucas, the current General Secretary of the Australian Bishops Conference, said Fr F had acknowledged wrong-doing during the meeting but had not mentioned any victims by name.
“I did not consider at that time that reporting to the police would assist in any prosecution since we did not have any details of victims,” Fr Lucas said in a statement.
“He was already known to the police and had been the subject of police investigation and had been charged.”
In a July 17 statement, Cardinal Pell said he was pleased the inquiry had been announced and that the Archdiocese of Sydney, including Fr Brian Lucas and the-now Monsignor John Usher, would cooperate fully.
“I will continue to encourage victims of sexual abuse to contact the police,” Cardinal Pell said. “Where victims are unable or too traumatised to do so or require assistance, the Church’s Professional Standards Office can help by contacting the police on their behalf.”