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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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The Press
June 27, 2002

Secret payouts
Letter to the Editor
by Michael Fairbrother, Rangiora, June 21

Sir--If an individual rugby club in Christchurch made payments with secrecy clauses to former players for abuse by junior coaches would The Press
report that the Canterbury Rugby Football Union made the payments and insisted on secrecy ?

No. It would report that the individual club was responsible.

Why then is it "the Church" that made the payments and insisted on the secrecy (editorial, June 20)? It was the Order of St John of God.

And as the NZRFU is made up of many unions so the Catholic Church in New Zealand is made up of many parts. The St John of God Order is not "the Church" just as an individual rugby club is not the national union.

Such a general label is misleading. The St John of God Order is part of the Catholic Church. "The Church" you vilify is so vague it only exists in your pages.