Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1950-2022 · 72 years · show in timeline

New Zealand 1950 to 2022: Allegations against 1,122 Catholic clergy and religious; the Church moved offenders, accused Brothers were sent to Papua New Guinea

The final report Whanaketia of New Zealand's Royal Commission into abuse in state and faith-based care appeared in 2024. According to data from the Catholic body Te Rōpū Tautoko, from 1950 to 2022 there were 1,680 reports against 1,122 clergy and religious, 14.4 percent of all 7,807. More than half of the survivors from Catholic institutions who gave evidence were sexually abused. Cardinal John Dew conceded that the Church transferred perpetrators and believed them when they said it would not happen again; some reoffended in the new place. Brothers of St John of God from Marylands School, including a convicted one, were sent to Papua New Guinea; the commission has grave concerns for children there and calls for an Apostolic visitation.

Period
1950-2022 (72 years)
Country
New Zealand
Institutions
Catholic Church in New Zealand
Brothers of St John of God
Marist Brothers
Category
Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Roger Moloney (Brother of St John of God, convicted of abuse at Marylands School, later in Papua New Guinea)

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. The Catholic body Te Rōpū Tautoko found for 1950 to 2022 a total of 7,807 diocesan clergy and religious in New Zealand and 1,680 reports of alleged abuse. These were made against 1,122 individuals, 14.4 percent. More than half of the survivors who gave evidence after a Catholic institutional setting had been sexually abused. According to the commission, sexual abuse was more prevalent in faith-based than in state settings, in particular at Marylands School (Catholic).
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 1127
    „From 1950 to 2022, Te Rōpū Tautoko (Catholic) found a total of 7,807 diocesan clergy and religious present in Aotearoa New Zealand, and a total of 1,680 reports of alleged abuse held by church entities.“
    Whanaketia, Part 4, Chapter 5: The extent of abuse and neglect in care, Abs. 1127. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 1127
    „These reports of abuse were made against 1,122 individual clergy members- 14.4 percent of the total number from 1950 to 2022.“
    Whanaketia, Part 4, Chapter 5: The extent of abuse and neglect in care, Abs. 1127. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 1129
    „In addition, more than half of survivors who provided evidence to the Inquiry after going through a Catholic institutional setting were sexually abused.“
    Whanaketia, Part 4, Chapter 5: The extent of abuse and neglect in care, Abs. 1129. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 1129
    „Sexual abuse was found to be more prevalent in faith-based settings as opposed to State settings, in particular at Dilworth School (Anglican) and Marylands School (Catholic).“
    Whanaketia, Part 4, Chapter 5: The extent of abuse and neglect in care, Abs. 1129. Original · Archive copy

What happened to those affected?

  1. Some Brothers of St John of God from Marylands School were transferred to Australia and Papua New Guinea. In 2021 eight of the 25 Brothers of the Oceania province were ministering in Papua New Guinea, among them Brother Roger Moloney, convicted of abusing children at Marylands. According to the commission there have been no investigations there; it has grave concerns for the children and recommends asking the Pope for an Apostolic visitation. It criticised the Bishop of Christchurch for being mainly concerned from 1993 with protecting the Church's reputation.
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 113
    „Some brothers who were at Marylands School were transferred from Aotearoa New Zealand to minister in Australia and Papua New Guinea.“
    Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, Abs. 113. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 113
    „of the 25 brothers in the Oceania branch as at September 2021, eight brothers are currently ministering in Papua New Guinea“
    Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, Abs. 113. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 113
    „Brother Roger Moloney, who was convicted of sexually abusing children at Marylands“
    Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, Abs. 113. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 114
    „But to the Inquiry’s knowledge, no such investigations have occurred in Papua New Guinea and the Inquiry holds grave concerns for children, young people and adults who were placed in the care of the Order and its brothers.“
    Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, Abs. 114. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Empfehlung 4
    „seeking an Apostolic visitation into the nature and extent of abuse and neglect by the Order in Papua New Guinea“
    Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, Empfehlung 4. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Kap. 4
    „The Inquiry also found that the Bishop of Christchurch failed to ensure the Order responded adequately to reports of abuse and claims for redress from 1993 and appeared to be mostly concerned with minimising any harm to the Catholic Church’s reputation.“
    Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, Kap. 4. Original · Archive copy

Background

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

  1. According to the commission, clericalism, the power of clergy over others, created the conditions for abuse. Some Catholic entities protected their reputation by maintaining the appearance of a celibate clergy, thereby creating a culture of secrecy.
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 606
    „Clericalism created conditions for abuse to occur in faith-based institutions due to the religious power and authority vested in members of the clergy and religious leaders.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 8: The faith-based institutions responsible for care, Abs. 606. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Kap. 8
    „Some Catholic entities have sought to protect their reputation by maintaining the appearance of a celibate clergy, pushing priests’ sex lives and sexualities further underground and creating a culture of secrecy.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 8: The faith-based institutions responsible for care, Kap. 8. Original · Archive copy

Response of the Church

  1. Cardinal John Dew conceded before the commission that the Catholic Church in New Zealand transferred perpetrators in response to allegations; complaints from the 1950s to the 1980s had not been well handled. The Church had believed perpetrators when they said offending would not happen again, and some reoffended in the new place. For the Marist Brothers, a Brother stated that the system of frequent transfers allowed abusers to move around the country undetected. A congregational leader of the Sisters of Mercy said parts of the Church protected their reputation and kept allegations quiet.
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 397
    „Cardinal John Dew conceded that the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand transferred perpetrators in response to abuse allegations.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 397. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 397
    „He reported that complaints of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct were not well handled from the 1950s to the 1980s“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 397. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 397
    „He said the Catholic Church believed perpetrators if they said offending would not happen again.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 397. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 397
    „He acknowledged that sometimes this meant they reoffended in the new place they were transferred to and this should never have happened.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 397. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 396
    „This system would allow an abuser to move around Aotearoa New Zealand undetected, continuing their abuse and avoiding their actions being reported.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 396. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 412
    „protective of its reputation and as such made efforts to keep allegations of abuse quiet.“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 412. Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland, Abs. 412
    „Sister Susan France, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Mercy New Zealand“
    Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, Abs. 412. Original · Archive copy

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Government report
    Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland: Whanaketia, Part 4, Chapter 5: The extent of abuse and neglect in care, 24 July 2024. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
  2. Government report
    Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland: Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 5: Complaints processes were absent or easily undermined, 24 July 2024. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
  3. Government report
    Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland: Whanaketia, Part 7, Chapter 8: The faith-based institutions responsible for care, 24 July 2024. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
  4. Government report
    Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, Neuseeland: Whanaketia, Part 9, Chapter 4: Righting the wrongs of the past, 24 July 2024. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)
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