Dominion Post
May 19 2004
Police probe role of church
by Fran Tyler and NZPA
Police are
investigating the role other church staff may have had in allowing paedophile
priest Alan Woodcock to continue to work with children.
Woodcock, 56, pleaded guilty this week to 21 charges relating to the sexual
abuse of boys while he was working at
The officer in charge of the Woodcock case, Detective Sergeant Murray Porter,
would not comment yesterday on any other investigations that might be taking
place, but The Dominion Post understands that further inquiries are being made
into the role of some church staff.
Complaints from boys about Woodcock's abuse were made in August 1982 to then St
Patrick's rector Father Michael Curtain.
In a 1995 interview Father Curtain told police he called the Society of Mary's
head, Provincial Father Fred Bliss, explaining the allegations and asking for
Woodcock to be moved. Woodcock was allowed to stay on at the college till the
end of that year under a set of rules drawn up by Father Curtain. He was then
moved to Highden.
The rules included directions that he leave the door to his bedroom open if a
boy needed to see him "unless the visit is of a confessional nature or a
similarly private matter", and that he not hitch-hike. Woodcock was also
advised to get a passport "to cover any possible eventuality".
One of Woodcock's victims, Terry Carter, was appalled that the church had not
removed the priest from the school as soon as a complaint of abuse was made.
He asked yesterday for a public apology from those in the church who had known
about the abuse but had failed to report it to police or prevent Woodcock from
continuing.
Society of Mary Provincial Father Denis O'Hagan said he had contacted the two
people Mr Carter had sought apologies from – Father Curtain and Father Bliss –
and told them to be prepared to write letters.
Father Bliss is teaching in
"I have apologised on behalf of the order and the congregation,"
Father O'Hagan said.
Mr Carter said he also wanted an apology from school board members of the time
and staff who knew what Woodcock was doing.
Mr Carter took a civil case against the church in 1996 and settled out of court
for a sum of $45,000.
Father O'Hagan said the society would not reveal how much it had paid to other
victims of sexual abuse by its priests and brothers