Bishop of Wollongong Peter Ingham has apologised to parishioners in his diocese over the failure of the Church leadership to speedily address child sexual abuse at the hands of clergy and lay members.The Campbelltown Macarthur Chronicle reports that Bishop Ingham, in a "heartfelt and candid" letter, was unreserved in his regret.
His apology was read or watched on DVD in all churches across the Macarthur region, Southern Highlands, Illawarra and Shoalhaven on July 17.
"I offer my sincere apology to those who have suffered abuse at the hands of a member of the cerly or indeed, any person representing the Catholic Church, particularly one who was ministering in the name of the Diocese of Wollongong. You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry," he said.
Bishop Ingham told the Macarthur Chronicle he had been encouraged into action by the feedback from recent community pastoral planning consulations across the diocese.
"The abuse kept coming up at the consultations. People told of their pain, shame and anger about the abuse," he said. "My apology was necessary in this climate."
Bishop Ingham said he needed to reassure people in the diocese that the church was committed to the protection of children and young people and and was "not sweeping anything under the carpet".
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