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The Press
December 30, 2002
Bishop made trip to see abuse complainants
NZPA
The
head of the Catholic Church in Auckland made a discreet pre- Christmas dash to
Australia for an unusual intervention in a sexual- abuse complaint.
Bishop Patrick Dunn cancelled three days of appointments in the build-up to one
of the church's most important festivals to meet three brothers allegedly
abused by an
He was responding to revelations this month that brothers Mike, Gerry, and
Chris Ledingham were angry that they were still
waiting for their case to be resolved, eight months after complaining to the
church about being allegedly molested by the late Father Frank Green.
Sexual-abuse complaints within the Catholic community are handled by special
committees set up through formal church procedures, which specifically prohibit
bishops from membership of the committees.
But Bishop Dunn decided to make a direct approach to the Ledinghams,
because he was disappointed with the way their complaint had been dealt with,
the church's communications director, Lyndsay Freer,
said.
He spent three days travelling for the three-hour meeting with the brothers in
He returned to
The Ledinghams were allegedly abused by Father Green
in the parish of Onehunga, but kept it secret from
each other, and other family members.
It was only this year, when Chris complained to the church, that the three
learned of each other's ordeal.
The church says it accepts the truth of their allegations.
Last week, it emerged that another complaint was laid against Father Green
about three months ago. The church did not initially disclose that case,
despite being asked about Father Green's history.
Mrs Freer said she had not concealed the case, but was limited in what she
could say, because of a confidentiality agreement with the victim.
"All I could say was that there were no complaints, other than those
currently under consideration. I was trying not to break a confidence, yet not
to be untruthful."
Several other people had phoned the church since the Ledinghams'
story appeared, although none had yet laid a formal complaint, Mrs Freer said.
"There always is (a worry) that the nature of the offending was a serial
kind," she said.
Father Green was ordained in 1953, and spent 11 years in the Onehunga parish before moving to Te Atatu.
He was heavily involved in gymnastics, and was behind the construction of halls
in both parishes.
He died in the late 1980s.
Mrs Freer said Father Green's records were unblemished, and there was no sign
of anyone raising the alarm about his behaviour.
He was loved and admired by many parishioners, who were finding it hard to come
to terms with the revelations.
Mrs Freer said that after the intervention of Bishop Dunn in the Ledinghams' case, the process would now be left to the
sex-abuse committee in
The Ledinghams said they were hopeful about their
discussions with the church.