In recent years the local diocese has been
buffeted by claims of sexual abuse and the Bishop says he's proud he
confronted the issue so strongly, even though it made him unpopular with
some in the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI announced that Bishop
Malone's replacement will be Reverend William Wright, currently Parish
Priest of All Saints Liverpool.
Bishop Malone told 1233's Jill Emberson it's an announcement he's been waiting for.
"I've been waiting for this now for well over a year, so I must admit I'm rather chuffed that it's now come," he says.
"And I think the choice of my successor, William Wright, I think he's
a good man, I think he'll be very good for this part of the world."
Bishop Malone says his replacement is 58 years old, and is very
experienced having worked in many parts of Sydney and country NSW,
including challenging areas such as Mt Druitt and Moree.
The 71-year-old Bishop admits dealing with the problem of sexual abuse within the Church has taken its toll.
"It's been tough, I'd have to say," he told Jill.
"In asking for assistance, as I did towards the end of 2009, I was
advised that perhaps the best way to go about it would be when I was
ready, to offer my resignation.
"So I put in the resignation and I've been waiting as I said for just over a year now.
"But in that year there's been some awful scandals in different parts
of the Church, in Ireland and in Europe, Germany particularly, and
these have I think just further affected the status of the Church in the
eyes of many people."
Jill asked whether the Catholic Church has learnt from these difficulties.
"I think the jury's out a bit on that," Bishop Malone says.
"I know that sections of the Church have learnt a very serious
lesson, but sometimes I wonder whether the penny has dropped where it
ought, in the halls of authority and hierarchical structure of the
Church.
"I still sense that there's a denial that these sorts of things are
as bad as perhaps they've been made out to be, and that worries me a
little to say the least.
"When it comes to sexual abuse within the Church it's very important
for the Church to admit its fallibility and to admit that these things
have happened on the Church's watch.
"And in admitting that, to apologise for the dreadful harm that has
caused to many people, not only the immediate survivors but also their
families and friends and parish communities.
"You know, the ripples go wide with this whole matter."
It's a source of pride to the Bishop that he took a strong stance on
sexual abuse even though it wasn't popular in some quarters.
"I'm proud that I have confronted the issues as strongly as I have, the issues of sexual abuse," he says.
"I'm proud that in a sense I took a stance that was unpopular with
other bishops and while it was a difficult place to be, is something
that I found necessary and I was pleased that I did it."
Bishop Malone's dream is to travel around Australia, and after that
he says he'll make himself available for pastoral placements.