On July, 10, Australia's Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse ordered Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) to produce the files.

CCI was ordered to provide a list of relevant material by yesterday and the files later in the week.

The royal commission held a special hearing when CCI failed to meet the deadline of a previous summons and produce all requested files.

It has handed over some folders.

The files could show exactly what the Church knew about 63 abusers in its ranks.

Counsel assisting the royal commission, Gail Furness, said the delay in getting the files was causing problems in the commission's work.

She asked royal commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan to make a new order.

Justice McClellan said he was inclined towards making an order setting aside the previous summons and requiring CCI to hand over all files on child sex abuse claims.

Peter Gray, counsel representing CCI, said folders relating to 63 perpetrators about whom the commission had originally sought information could be provided in a week.

These folders would cover claims where there was "or might have been a prior knowledge issue".

Justice McClellan said: "The commission needs the files in order to understand what the history, overall history has been in relation to denial of claims."

It has been previously reported that CCI, which is wholly owned by the Catholic Church and has charity status, has set aside up to A$150 million to settle future child sex abuse claims.

Evidence at previous royal commission hearings has revealed that CCI had a role in capping payments to abuse survivors and in requiring deeds of release so the Church could not be sued.

Sources

• SBS
• ABC
• Image: Talkandroid.com

Retired Bishop Michael Malone of Maitland-Newcastle diocese told the New South Wales commission of inquiry he was out of his depth in matters of child protection.

Although he knew of confidential files on abuse by diocesan clergy, some of which were in his own office, Bishop Malone said he never thoroughly examined any of the files. One file was so big he couldn't jump over it, he said.

Bishop Malone also admitted he tried to "play it down a bit" to defend the Church's image, because "I was conscious of the fact that those issues of sexual abuse were in fact impinging on the stability of the Church".

"I think the early years of my being bishop were fairly bumbling when it came to dealing with sexual abuse . . . I was not adequately handling these matters," the retired bishop said.

Bishop Malone led Maitland-Newcastle diocese from 1995 till 2011.

He said all his predecessor Bishop Leo Clarke did when he handed over the diocese was slide an ancient ornamental cross across the desk and point to a "rather large briefcase that sat in the corner of his office".

When Bishop Malone asked, "Are you going to show me where the skeletons are, where the secret things are?" Bishop Clarke merely responded, "Ah, you will find out".

Bishop Malone said he had "an epiphany" about child abuse in 2004 when the NSW Ombudsman criticised his decision not to stand down a priest accused of abusing a child.

But he agreed that a "closeted" attitude remained "alive and well" in many areas of the Church, and the resistance he met from priests did not improve with time.

"I think there were a number of people hoping I'd just go away," he said.

Sources:

The Australian

ABC Lateline

The Australian

Sydney Morning Herald

Image: Daily Life