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Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
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A woman's claim against
fallen priest Jim Consedine has been accepted by the Catholic Church, eight
years after she complained. Bonnie Quilter, a
persistent critic of the church's complaint-handling process, has received
$6000 and a written apology. The settlement states
that Bishop John Cunneen and the church's protocol committee believed
Quilter's complaints about Consedine's behaviour were true. The church has also
promised not to pursue costs awarded against Quilter, totalling $12,100, when
her civil suit was thrown out by the High Court last August. The deed of settlement
said that Consedine's behaviour described by Quilter was "not only
inappropriate but was a serious betrayal of trust and an abuse of Father
Consedine's pastoral authority as a priest". Quilter met Consedine
as a chaplain at Christchurch Women's Prison when she was an inmate in 1987.
She took up his offer of accommodation on her release in 1988. Quilter claimed that
Consedine made lewd suggestions and touched her bottom while hugging her. She wrote to Consedine
admonishing him for his behaviour and sent a complaint of sexual harassment
to Cunneen in 1997. In a 2002 mediation
session, Consedine apologised "for any hurt he may have inflicted",
which Quilter accepted. One of four women who
complained about Consedine, Quilter claimed the church failed in its duty of
care towards her and did not keep proper records of the process. Cunneen wrote to Quilter
in December that he regretted the committee "did not appreciate the full
extent and detail of your complaint". He hoped the settlement would help
give her peace of mind. "We, too, have learnt from this whole
experience." The settlement was
negotiated by former judge Peter Trapski, who is also reviewing the church's
handling of Quilter's complaint. Quilter agreed to keep
the terms of settlement confidential, but has since reneged on that deal. "The public has
the right to know as I have the right to be acknowledged with other abuse
survivors," Quilter said. Catholic Communications
director Lyndsay Freer said the church had agreed to the terms of settlement
being confidential, at Quilter's request, and could not comment. Consedine
resigned from his Lyttelton parish at the Bishop's request in 2003 and was
then stripped of all powers, except for ministering the last rites. |
