Tag Archives: Bishop Clarke

NSW Enquiry Concludes (Or: Good Priest – Bad Priest)

The Newcastle-Maitland diocese kept “good priest files” and “bad priest files”, according to Elizabeth Doyle, who was secretary to Bishops Clarke, Malone and Wright over the past 20 years. A quirk of the English language means that the reference could … Continue reading

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NSW Enquiry Session 2 Week 3 Day 4 (Or: Where Did I Leave My Keys?)

Caption: Burston (center) leaving the enquiry (source: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3805435.htm) “He has given his life to the Catholic Church”: Commissioner Cunneen., concerning William Burston (pictured above), second-in-charge of the Newcastle-Maitland diocese under former Bishops Clarke and Malone. Ms. Cunneen claimed that Burston had … Continue reading

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NSW Enquiry: Session 2 Week 2 Day 2 (Or: Nobody Needs to Know)

Lawyers for the Catholic Church at the NSW government enquiry into clerical child sexual abuse in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese, appear to have been emboldened by the recent decision of the enquiry Commissioner, Margaret Cunneen, to hold “in-camera” hearings for Adelaide … Continue reading

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NSW Enquiry – Week’s Wrap-Up (Or: Master of Law and Letters)

The first week of the second session of the NSW government enquiry into clerical child sexual abuse in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese heard further evidence from Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, more local police officials and the current Bishop of Newcastle-Maitland, … Continue reading

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The NSW Enquiry Pushes On (Or: Anatomy of a Cover-Up)

Father Denis McAlinden came to Australia in 1949 and died here in 2005. In between, he abused an unknown number of little girls. What is known now, is that the Catholic Church was aware of his offending from as far … Continue reading

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