Ballarat 1960 to 2017: Royal Commission found a "catastrophic failure" of diocesan leadership; Bishop Mulkearns kept moving offenders, destroyed a report and put the Church's reputation above children

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

1. Father Gerald Ridsdale was convicted of child sexual offences in the parishes of Ballarat East, Swan Hill, Warrnambool, Apollo Bay, Inglewood, Edenhope and Mortlake; in 1993 he pleaded guilty to offences against eight boys in Inglewood and Edenhope, and further convictions followed in 1994, 2006, 2014 and 2017. Bishop Mulkearns removed a letter from the psychiatrist Dr Eric Seal to his predecessor about Ridsdale from the file and destroyed it. According to the commission, Mulkearns often neither monitored treatment nor awaited its result before putting a priest back into a parish; there, new allegations often emerged.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 54

   „Ridsdale has been convicted of child sexual offences occurring in parishes including Ballarat East, Swan Hill, Warrnambool, Apollo Bay, Inglewood, Edenhope and Mortlake.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 78

   „Ridsdale was convicted of further offences in 1994, 2006, 2014 and 2017.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 78

   „On 27 May 1993, Ridsdale pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges in relation to eight young boys in Inglewood and Edenhope.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 54

   „There was a letter from psychiatrist Dr Eric Seal to Bishop O’Collins about Ridsdale, which Bishop Mulkearns removed from Ridsdale’s file and destroyed.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 421

   „Often, more allegations against the priest emerged in the new parish.“

2. At the Christian Brothers' schools St Alipius and St Patrick's College in Ballarat, according to the commission, the Brothers' sexual misconduct in the early to mid-1970s was common knowledge among many, if not most, of the students. The commission's data count 56 claims and substantiated complaints of abuse by Christian Brothers at Ballarat schools. At the end of his term in 1984, the provincial Brother Naughtin destroyed personnel records and reports that probably contained complaints of abuse. One victim, Peter Watson, died by suicide in 1999.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 23

   „those rumours were known by many, if not most, of the students in St Alipius and St Patrick’s College“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 456

   „Of the 56 claims and substantiated complaints of child sexual abuse against one or more Christian Brothers in relation to a Ballarat Christian Brothers school“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 31

   „In 1984, at the conclusion of his term as provincial, Brother Naughtin destroyed personnel records and reports.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 90

   „Peter Watson died by suicide in 1999.“

How were they charged and sentenced?

1. At a meeting of the diocesan consultors, according to the commission, Bishop Mulkearns said it was necessary to move Ridsdale from the diocese and from parish work because of complaints that he had sexually abused children. The commission rejects the claim that Mulkearns lied to his consultors; his overwhelming concern was to protect the diocese and the Church from further scandal. In another transfer, according to the commission, Mulkearns and the consultors prioritised the reputation of the Church over the safety of the children of Timboon. In 1994 Mulkearns wrote to a newspaper that Ridsdale had been removed from Mortlake as soon as possible; the commission calls this untrue, dishonest or at best misleading.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 70

   „We are satisfied that Bishop Mulkearns told the consultors that it was necessary to move Ridsdale from the Diocese and from parish work because of complaints that he had sexually abused children.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 70

   „We are satisfied that Bishop Mulkearns’ overwhelming concern was to protect his Diocese and the Church from further scandal.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 53

   „We are satisfied that the conduct of Bishop Mulkearns and the consultors prioritised protecting the reputation of the Catholic Church over the safety of children at Timboon.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 71

   „This was not the true position; it was dishonest or, at best, misleading.“

2. Concerning George Pell, then a priest in Ballarat and later a cardinal, the commission found: in 1973 he turned his mind to the prudence of Ridsdale taking boys on overnight camps. In the early 1970s one or two students and one or two priests told him about sexual infractions with minors by the Christian Brother Edward Dowlan; in late 1974 a man told him in a swimming pool changing room that Brother Dowlan was touching little boys. Later, as a bishop, Pell knew that police were investigating Ridsdale about his offending in Ballarat. Pell told the commission that with hindsight he should have done more.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 56

   „We are satisfied that in 1973 Father Pell turned his mind to the prudence of Ridsdale taking boys on overnight camps.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 163

   „We are satisfied that in the early 1970s Cardinal Pell was told by one or two students, and one or two priests, about Dowlan’s infractions of a sexual nature with minors.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 36

   „Brother Dowlan is touching little boys“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 79

   „We are satisfied that Bishop Pell knew that the police were investigating Ridsdale about his offending in Ballarat.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 164

   „Cardinal Pell told us that, with hindsight, he should have done more.“