THE Anglican Church has launched an investigation into high-profile priest Father John Fleming's alleged homosexual relationship with a former parishioner. The inquiry, by the Professional Standards Office of the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide, was launched last month after a former parishioner agreed to co-operate with investigators. The new investigation will run parallel with an inquiry already under way into Father Fleming's conduct with an under-age girl and another woman while he was an Anglican priest in the 1970s.
The Anglican inquiries are not connected to the inquiry launched in August by the Catholic Church, after the Sunday Mail revealed police were investigating Father Fleming's conduct with the under-age girl.
The Catholic Church inquiry, being conducted by prominent criminal lawyer Michael Abbott QC, is examining the Church's handling of the same allegations against Father Fleming after it was notified of them. Mr Abbott has already interviewed the male parishioner, "Richard", at length and will interview the two females "Jane" and "Jenny" soon.
Anglican Professional Standards Director Peter Caporaso yesterday confirmed the new investigation, but declined to comment further.
The Sunday Mail revealed last August that "Richard" had advised former Catholic Archbishop Leonard Faulkner that he had a homosexual affair with Father Fleming – prior to Father Fleming being ordained a Catholic priest in 1995.
While the Anglican Church does not have the power to take any action against Father Fleming because he is no longer an Anglican priest, it is likely the findings of its inquiries will be provided to the Catholic Church.
"Richard" yesterday told the Sunday Mail he welcomed the Anglican inquiry because he believed the matter needed to be investigated "fully and properly".
"While the Abbott inquiry is examining the Catholic Church's handling of the allegations after it was advised, the Anglican inquiry will examine what took place between John Fleming and myself," he said.
A spokesman for Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson yesterday said he had been formally advised by the Anglican Church of its inquiry into "Richard's" complaint. The spokesman said the Church had not been advised of a finish date for Mr Abbott's inquiry and there were still "no limits" on its extent.
The Sunday Mail revealed last August that Father Fleming was the subject of a Pedophile Task Force investigation into his conduct with an under-age girl.
"Jane" told the Sunday Mail she had a sexual relationship with Father Fleming when she was a teenager and detailed her attempts to have both the Catholic and Anglican churches take action for the past eight years.
Father Fleming was formally interviewed by detectives in December last year, but at this stage the police have chosen to keep an open file rather than lay criminal charges because of the evidentiary difficulties involving the investigation of historical sex offences.
"Jane" said yesterday although she was "intensely disappointed Father Fleming would not be held accountable in a court of law", she still wanted him "to take responsibility for his actions".
"I know what happened and he knows what happened," she said.
"His continual denial is simply re-victimisation of me, which is making this process even more of an ordeal."
As part of the police inquiry detectives took statements from "Richard" detailing his relationship with Father Fleming and from another woman, "Jenny" who was also allegedly sexually involved with him when she was 17.
Father Fleming was suspended from his position Campion College, Sydney, last August pending the results of the police and Catholic Church inquiry.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: SMAU)