The survivor, Brendon Bowkett, having witnessed horrific violence and abuse as a child, is calling for urgent reforms in the way the Catholic Church investigates complaints.

In 2022 Bowkett left New Zealand and is now a paediatric surgeon living in Newcastle, Australia.

He recently spoke out about the abuse he experienced and witnessed at two Catholic schools.

Bowkett says he reported the abuse to the church's complaints body (NOPS) which said it looked at sexual abuse only, not physical abuse.

Change needed

Bowkett, who attended both St Paul's High School and other Catholic institutions in New Zealand, described enduring physical and psychological abuse which even now continues to haunt him.

"The worst part of what I experienced was the violence, the grooming - watching many friends experience really unrelenting psychological and physical violence on a scale that would put these perpetrators in prison if they were still alive" he said.

NOPS and physical abuse

Five years ago, Bowkett lodged an official complaint with the Catholic Church's National Office for Professional Standards.

NOPS issued a statement defending its processes but not clarifying why physical abuse complaints are excluded.

"We take all complaints seriously" the Office stated, though no further explanation was provided about how non-sexual abuse cases are handled.

Bowkett however remains firm in his belief that broader changes are necessary. "In my opinion, we've crossed the threshold and a crime against humanity and against these children has occurred" he said, speaking about the long-term impact on survivors like himself.

Christian Brothers respond

The Christian Brothers Oceania Province, the religious order involved in Bowkett's case, released a statement emphasising their commitment to handling all complaints responsibly.

"All claims are dealt with on their merits and we encourage all people to be independently legally represented" the statement read.

Sources

• RNZ
• RNZ

Adams had commented earlier in response to a letter to the editor published in the Manawatu Standard by Dr Christopher Longhurst, leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

Puzzling response

Adams says he remains puzzled by Longhurst's unwillingness to accept and recognise a culture change in the Church he works for.

He acknowledges Longhurst's work in the area of sexual abuse by priests.

"I acknowledge the work of survivors and their advocates has been critical in bringing to light the scourge of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and in our wider society", writes Adams.

"As the Roman Catholic Bishop of Palmerston North, I remain convinced the Church has made significant strides in her efforts over recent times to make the Catholic Church a safe place for children and vulnerable adults, but with no room for complacency or a sense that a job has been completed.

"Our culture has changed, and it must continue to change."

Adams went on to express his trust in the work of police investigators and the Church's National Office for Professional Standards.

Zero appetite

In his letter, Longhurst said that Adams' earlier assurances that there is "Zero appetite for a culture of abuse in the Catholic Church" do not ring true.

He says that Adams' July 30 claim that, if an accusation were made against a Church member, that Church member would be stood down is not true.

Longhurst says he has a complaint against a priest that is under investigation, but that the priest is still in active ministry in the Palmerston North Diocese.

Christopher Longhurst

He says the situation is compounded by the refusal of Adams' professional standards office to allow the investigations into that complaint to proceed.

He also claims that an unnamed priest in an allegation made by Steven Carvell was never stood down when the allegation was made and that, even in retirement, that priest remains in ministry while the Church investigations continue.

Source

• Manawatu Standard

They are being retraumatised during the process, Aotearoa-New Zealand's chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) told Francis in a letter last week.

SNAP, a global organisation, went on to accuse New Zealand Church officials of breaching procedures for managing abuse complaints.

"Most sadly, we are being harmed by the very Church office set up to provide healing," says Christopher Longhurst, SNAPs national leader.

His complaints to the Pope focus on the National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) - the New Zealand Bishops'-appointed group tasked with administering Te Houhanga Rongo (A Path To Healing) redress process.

Longhurst told Francis New Zealand's apparent "open hand to the hope of healing" isn't the view victims see.

In reality, they are traumatised for a second time by NOPS officials violating the established procedures, he says.

He describes these violations as a denial of adequate investigative process; a denial of fair review of process; stalling and divergence; and a general lack of compassion.

"Given the lack of an authentic and honest path to healing in New Zealand's Catholic Church, we would like to ask for Your Holiness to intervene," Longhurst wrote.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZBC) says it is continually updating and improving its complaints and disclosure processes to help survivors of abuse.

Catholic Church leaders have listened to survivors throughout the current Royal Commission of inquiry into abuse hearings and have implemented changes, the NZBC says.

We will continue to engage actively on improvements throughout and beyond the Royal Commission's scheduled completion in 2023, Bishop Stephen Lowe told media.

A total of 1,680 reports of alleged abuse by church entities from 1950 to 2021 met the Royal Commission's definition of abuse, a report https://www.catholic.org.nz/assets/Uploads/20220201-Tautoko-IGP-Fact-Sheet-1-Feb.pdf prepared for the Royal Commission says.

So far, about 470 child abuse survivors have been paid $16.8 million in pastoral or ex-gratia payments by New Zealand Catholic Church entities.

More could be done though, say critics.

Sonja Cooper, Principal Lawyer and Partner at Wellington-based Cooper Legal, which is currently handling over 2,000 cases of child abuse victims involving state and faith-based institutions, says she hasn't seen any changes in the way the redress process is run.

"It's not a process that exercises any natural justice. And if they can find anything to make a decision that is against the survivor, they will."

Using ex-police officers for the interview process was deeply problematic for many survivors, she says.

"The Church seems to be operating from a position of not believing and the burden is put on the survivor to prove that they are telling the truth. The process is very geared towards protecting the Catholic Church and its clergy."

An interim report from the Royal Commission inquiry notes no redress process audit has been carried out yet.

Hipkins has plans to cut a 3000-strong waiting list of claimants of abuse in state care - such as children's homes - by making "rapid payments".

Survivors of abuse in religious and faith-based settings are not included.

Hipkins said the new scheme would cover both state and religious claimants, but faith-based institutions would for now provide their own claims and redress processes.

"While we are engaging with faith-based institutions, it is currently up to each of them to determine whether to introduce faster payment processes," he said.

"It's worth noting that faith-based institutions can often settle claims more quickly than these agencies."

Dave Mullin (pictured), who leads the Te Ropu Tautoko catholic church group dealing with the Commission and the Crown Response Unit, said they were closely studying the Cabinet paper that detailed Hipkins' announcement.

"We are seeking clarity from government officials on how and when matters of faith-based redress will be incorporated into this process, and we look forward to engaging in the work.

"Meanwhile, the church asks survivors who - due to serious ill-health or age - may not be able to engage with the proposed independent redress system, to approach the Church's National Office for Professional Standards" said Mullin.

However, some survivors say it would be better if the government got involved in the process.

In testimony given earlier in the year to the Royal Commission, a number of church organisations said they offered survivors an apology, an ex gratia payment based on the level of abuse, and the offer of counselling.

Testimony to the Royal Commission showed the response between various religious organisations inside the Catholic Church was not even.

Different church and faith-based groups, eg Anglican, Brethren, Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Salvation Army, also responded differently from each other.

Abuse survivor Steve Goodlass said the government had failed to honour the intent of the commission's interim payment recommendation.

"It's disturbing because the government has just redefined stuff in there and completely ostracised one group or has discriminated against faith-based survivors," he said.

"Even people in the state systems, they're getting shafted again. Why hold a commission when you're just going to exclude people and ignore key principles? It's just awful," he said.

Unhappy with how the Bishops National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) has settled abuse cases, survivor group SNAP focussed solely on the Catholic Church's response saying it wants a more immediate reply from the Catholic Church.

It also wants the bishops to set up an independent committee with input from SNAP Aotearoa and its survivor members.

When NOPS was established, it was a body of "second instance", a place where survivors could appeal if they thought a Catholic Church body had not properly handled their case.

It was headed by retired Police Commissioner John Jamieson.

Some years later, under the leadership of former priest and social worker Mr Bill Kilgallon, NOPS became the body of "first instance" for most Catholic religious groups.

NOPS continues to operate as a place of first instance under the current director, former lawyer Virginia Noonan.

Sources

• RNZ
• Supplied

Chittilappilly had been working in New Zealand as an assistant priest in Mercy Parish South Dunedin since January 2020.

However, following a complaint of sexual harassment from an adult woman, towards the end of last year, he was stood down from working in ministry and residing in the Dunedin Diocese.

He left the diocese late last year.

In March the Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, Michael Dooley (pictured) told the Otago Daily Times (ODT) the church's procedures began immediately once the complaint was made and the Church's authorities were engaged in an investigation of the complaint and that included the Church's National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS).

NOPS reported back to Dooley.

However, in a move that surprised some, Dooley announced the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has directed him to conduct a further investigation into the priest's behaviour.

Dooley provided the update to the ODT on Sunday.

Dooley told the ODT the further church investigation will involve taking statements and examining evidence.

It would be undertaken by canon lawyers — men and women in the church who are trained in canon law.

"The lockdown in Auckland has unfortunately delayed the process but I am hopeful that it will be completed as soon as possible," he added.

The ODT Sunday report does not say why a second investigation is necessary nor specifically how it will differ from the Church's NOPS process.

The NOPS process has been agreed to by all the New Zealand Catholic Bishops and leaders of New Zealand's religious orders.

Sources told CathNews Chittilappily had complied with the initial investigation and subsequently done what was asked, did not engage in ministry and lived outside the Dunedin diocese waiting to hear the final result of the NOPS inquiry from Dooley.

However, on Sunday, Dooley told the ODT that Chittilappily had left New Zealand in September and returned to India because his visa to remain in New Zealand had expired.

"He is now living in a Rosminian house in India, under supervision, and is not involved in any public ministry until the investigation is concluded," Dooley confirmed.

Source

• Otago Daily Times
• Image: NZ Herald

The New Zealand bishops' conference (NZBC) says these concerns involved a number of victims of abuse in the Dunedin Diocese who had complained that Kavanagh had not properly dealt with their complaints of sexual abuse by priests.

The bishops' concerns about Kavanagh were referred to the Vatican late last year, in line with Pope Francis' 2019 decree, "Vos estis lux mundi."

New Zealand's Metropolitan Archbishop, Cardinal John Dew has now asked the National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) to look into Kavanagh's response to these complaints while he was bishop from 1957 until he died in 1985.

NOPS is the Church's complaints body. It, in turn, appointed Christchurch senior investigator Micky Earl to conduct the investigation.

Dew says Earl will focus on finding out what information Kavanagh had regarding complaints of sexual abuse. He will also look into whether Kavanagh met his obligations as bishop in how he responded to and managed those complaints.

One of the priests Kavanagh was allegedly told about was Magnus Murray, who offended against boys in Dunedin from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Newspaper reports say Murray's offences were brought to Kavanagh's attention in 1972.

Kavanagh's response was to move Murray to Australia. He later allowed him to resume public ministry in the North Island. New victims have since emerged from that period.

Abuse survivors, their supporters and a group of former pupils have called for the name of Dunedin's Kavanagh College - named after the late bishop - to be changed.

Kavanagh College Board of Trustees chairwoman Barb Long has declined to comment about any decisions about renaming the school at this stage. This is because the investigation is independent and the school was not part of it, she says.

Dew is also waiting for the outcome of the investigation and its recommendations. He says these could help form the basis of any decision to rename the college.

Anyone who has any concerns regarding inappropriate behaviour in a Church setting should contact NOPS to report their concerns, Dew says.

"NOPS operates independently of diocesan and Congregation structures. It contracts professional, experienced and independent third-party investigators to conduct investigations on its behalf.

"We are committed to a safe environment for all within the Church community. Any form of misconduct or inappropriate behaviour in the Church community is not acceptable."

NOPS can be contacted by free phone on 0800 114 622, or by email at prof.standards@nzcbc.org.nz Go here for the NOPS website, which includes the latest edition of A Path to Healing.

In addition to contacting NOPS, the Church also encourages victims of abuse to contact the police or the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care.

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Otago Daily Times
• New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: NZ Catholic