A retired Australian Roman Catholic bishop who’s alleged to have perpetrated quite a lot of sexual offenses whereas presiding over the Diocese of Broome within the state of Western Australia appeared in a Broome courtroom on Thursday to face expenses.
The offenses are alleged to have taken place between 2008 and 2014. They included two of sexual penetration with out consent, 14 of illegal and indecent assault and three of an individual in authority indecently coping with a baby.
Vatican investigation
The emeritus bishop, Christopher Saunders, stood down in 2020 after the allegations emerged, with Pope Francis accepting his resignation in 2021.
Nonetheless, an preliminary police investigation didn’t discover sufficient proof to cost him. It was not till the Vatican gave police info from its personal probe, launched in 2022 utilizing powers first launched by Pope Francis, that Saunders might be reinvestigated.
He was arrested on Wednesday.
The Diocese of Broome, the place Saunders labored for greater than 20 years, covers an space bigger than the US state of Texas in northwest Australia. It’s house to dozens of distant Aboriginal communities.
Church to cooperate
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Convention, stated the church would proceed to cooperate with the police.
“Allegations towards the previous Bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders, are very critical and deeply distressing, particularly for these making these allegations,” Costelloe stated in an announcement.
Saunders has beforehand denied any wrongdoing.
One other main Australian Catholic determine, Cardinal George Pell, was imprisoned on sexual abuse expenses in 2019, however had his convictions quashed the subsequent 12 months.
The offenses are alleged to have taken place between 2008 and 2014. They included two of sexual penetration with out consent, 14 of illegal and indecent assault and three of an individual in authority indecently coping with a baby.
Vatican investigation
The emeritus bishop, Christopher Saunders, stood down in 2020 after the allegations emerged, with Pope Francis accepting his resignation in 2021.
Nonetheless, an preliminary police investigation didn’t discover sufficient proof to cost him. It was not till the Vatican gave police info from its personal probe, launched in 2022 utilizing powers first launched by Pope Francis, that Saunders might be reinvestigated.
He was arrested on Wednesday.
The Diocese of Broome, the place Saunders labored for greater than 20 years, covers an space bigger than the US state of Texas in northwest Australia. It’s house to dozens of distant Aboriginal communities.
Church to cooperate
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Convention, stated the church would proceed to cooperate with the police.
“Allegations towards the previous Bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders, are very critical and deeply distressing, particularly for these making these allegations,” Costelloe stated in an announcement.
Saunders has beforehand denied any wrongdoing.
One other main Australian Catholic determine, Cardinal George Pell, was imprisoned on sexual abuse expenses in 2019, however had his convictions quashed the subsequent 12 months.
