RELEASE OF FINDINGS ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BY THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan welcome the release of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Sister Patty Fawkner, Congregational Leader, said: “We wish to stand in solidarity with all victims and survivors of abuse. Our Congregation unreservedly apologises to all who have been harmed by Church organisations, including our own, either through abuse, through inaction as a result of abuse, or through a lack of compassion or understanding”.
“On behalf of my Sisters I acknowledge those victims and survivors of abuse who courageously shared their experience during the Royal Commission and all who worked to bring the Commission’s work to completion.”
“As members of the Catholic Church we take this report of the Commission, its findings and recommendations, seriously. We will actively participate in achieving a fair and equitable outcome for victims and survivors of abuse. Specifically, we, Sisters of the Good Samaritan, affirm our support for the National Redress Scheme.
“The Catholic Church in Australia is facing a crisis and the world will be watching to see how we tend to those who have been abused, and how we develop clear strategies so that such abuse never happens again,” Sister Patty said.
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan, the first Catholic religious congregation to be founded in Australia in 1857, have worked for 160 years to assist the most vulnerable people in our society.
“We commit ourselves to continue this work,” Sister Patty said.
“At our recent Chapter we made a commitment to stand with and bring hope to our bruised and grieving Church – which includes all members.”
Sister Patty went on to say: “The Congregation has been diligent in ensuring that its policies and procedures are transparent and reflect best-practice in creating a respectful and safe environment for all, especially children, with whom the Sisters and their colleagues interact and work.”
“I hope and pray that we do not forget the victims and survivors of abuse and that all of us within the Church community will do all within our power to help heal the wounds of the past, and to minimise any risk to vulnerable people now and into the future.”
