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PERTH, WA: April 25, 1996
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Pope John Paul deplores apparently unjustified Israeli shelling in Lebanon - Page 13 Figure of disgust brings faith - Page 9 The 'homeboys' of El Salvador - Page 11
Gospel our hope despite abuse crisis: Archbishop By Peter Rosengren
Archbishop Barry Hickey has urged Catholics to continue to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and know the "gates of hell will not prevail" despite the dark cloud which has gathered over the Australian Church following recent charges of sexual abuse of children by clergy and Religious. The archbishop's comments have come in his weekly column in The Record (See Page 2) following a torrid string of questioning of himself and two other bishops by journalists at the Australian Catholic
Bishops' conference in Sydney this week At the press conference, Cardinal Edward Clancy of Sydney, the chairman of the bishops' national professional standards committee, Bishop Kevin Manning, and Archbishop Hickey spent most of their time fending off hostile questions from journalists over the Church's responsibility for cases of abuse carried out by clergy and members of Religious congregations. Archbishop Hickey said that despite Cardinal Clancy's opening address to the conference assessing the overall state of the Church in Australia and the chal-
Archbishop Hickey defended Influence the Church and its lenges facing it for the future, the himself, saying neither he nor the future work in Australia. press had ignored his comments other Archbishops of Perth in the and instead concentrated excluThe cardinal urged Catholics to period since the alleged abuses. become active in public and sively on questioning the bishops Including the Archbishop of the political life, saying that it was on child abuse. time, were responsible and that it not merely a right but a duty to "Not one word of his speech had therefore been wrong to Influence society for the better was printed. Instead, the only charge him as a defendant in the and said the bishops would not thing they were interested in was case. child abuse in the Church. In the back away from making statepress conference afterwards it He was forced to point out sev- ments in the political arena. was the only topic raised in a eral times the difference between In the light of current marriage tense and thorough grilling of the the Christian Brothers being breakdown figures, the Cardinal Cardinal and his Bishop-aides," made to answer the charges and described marriage as more vital he said. himself as Archbishop of Perth. than ever for Australia's future The questioning of the bishops Bishop Manning sprang to the and addressed the issue of vocacame after allegations of Church archbishop's defence and said it tions, saying that despite declincover-ups and instances of diplowas important not to misuse the ing numbers the vast majority of Archbishop Barry Hickey mats abusing children overseas word 'Church' when distinguish- priests persevered with their emerged in the New South problem. "I'd have to note that ing between a congregation, a mission "and bear fruit in lives of Wales Royal Commission into most of these cases which were bishop in his diocese and the undramatic generosity." the police force in that state. announced before the courts go Church in Australia. "The whole Church thanks God "The Church, despite all the back twenty and thirty years and "I think you need to be very for them and prays that he will faults and failings of the human going back to that time we didn't careful how you bandy around call more men to priesthood." he beings that handle its affairs, will know much about it. This whole the word Church," he said. said. not fail to proclaim Christ issue of molestation was left up though its speak of it as "You The bishops' meeting finished to individual bishops." he said. Crucified and Risen and lead just one big, encompassing thing this Wednesday. people to eternal life because it "Today I believe we are much Cardinal Clancy and Archbishhas the promise of Jesus Christ better equipped to face up to the and we're all totally responsible for it. Sir Frank Little of Melbourne op himself that the "gates of hell will problem and I think you would "We are responsible, as bishops have been re-appointed presinot prevail" against him," have to admit yourself that bishArchbishop Hickey said in his ops are being much more open in our own dioceses. I have no dent and vice-president of the responsibility for Archbishop Australian Catholic Bishops' column. about it," he said. At one stage during the press Hickey in his diocese nor has he Conference respectively for two During the press conference conference, journalists closely (any responsibility) for me," he years. Bishop Manning, who as chair of Bishop William Brennan of the Professional Standards questioned Archbishop Hickey's said. Addressing the opening of the Wagga Wagga is the new chairCommittee has been working on having successfully sought to be the development of protocols struck out as a defendant in the Bishops' conference meeting at man of the Bishops' Committee and procedures for Church offi- Sydney court case over alleged St Paul's National Seminary in for Justice, Development and cials to use when confronted abuses of boys in orphanages Sydney, Cardinal Clancy dis- Peace following the retirement of with allegations of abuse, defend- run by the Christian Brothers in cussed a number of current con- Bishop William Murray from his cerns and matters which could Diocese of Wollongong. ed the bishops' approach to the Western Australia.
Sponsor families fleeing Bosnia's war, parishes asked Australian Catholic parishes cially desperate because they Archbishop Barry Hickey, who will be asked to sponsor and were being told they must leave is secretary to the Bishops' support the migration of at least now but they had no relatives Committee for Migrant affairs, 200 Ukrainian descent families anywhere else and no country said the bishops planned to fleeing the the Bosnia civil war. liaise with the Government they could go to. He knew of through the bishops national The Australian Catholic instances where families had migration office to find the best Bishops Conference meeting in been forced to live in forests. way of bringing the families out, Sydney over the last week decidThis made their situation more possibly as refugees or under ed to ask parishes to consider urgent than other categories of the humanitarian provisions of such sponsorship. refugees and this was why he the Government's immigration The bishop of the Ukrainian was promoting their acceptance policy. A third possibility was Bishop Stasiuk by Australia, Catholic Church in Australia and that they could be brought out to New Zealand, Eparch Peter said. Australia simply as migrants. Stasiuk, told The Record on "What we're asking the "We're also seeing whether the Tuesday the faniilies, mainly Government to do is show some Government will accept sponCatholic but also including special consideration for these sorship from groups like parishOrthodox families, had been vic- ethnic minorities who really are es rather than just individuals," tims of the ethnic cleansing pur- disadvantaged and are going to sued in the Bosnian war. have to move sooner or later A Bosnian Serb family in Sarajevo earlier this year experience the same he said. because their future is non-exis- plight as Ukrainian descent families in Bosnia as they flee a burning apartThe Perth Archdiocese would "They have no place to go, they collaborate" with the tent in Bosnia," "certainly he added. ment and are forced to unfamiliar territory. Photo CN&Reuters were just told to leave (and) scheme if the Government was their properties were confiscatUnder the Bishops' plan famied. Their homes were taken lies, parishes or other groups appeal to the Federal Govern- es or families or groups who willing to approve it. "The Perth away from them, their farms and would be able to officially spon- ment for special consideration would take these people Catholic Migrant Centre knows according to the regulations of of the proposal and would be their jobs were taken away," sor the refugees' application for for the refugees' applications. the Australian Government," pleased to do whatever it could "We basically would like to Bishop Stasiuk said. into Australia. acceptance Bishop Stasiuk said. should it happen," he said. He said their plight was espeThe Bishops' Conference will have a commitment from parish;1
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