Colleagues condemn sex predator bishop after 'evil called out'

Colleagues of disgraced Catholic Bishop Christopher Saunders have voiced their relief following his conviction on 13 counts of sexual abuse. Saunders, 76, was found guilty yesterday of offenses committed against young Aboriginal men during his long tenure as Bishop of Broome in Western Australia. He had worked in some of Australia's most remote Indigenous communities for approximately 40 years.

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I was quite overwhelmed when I was driving yesterday afternoon and the news came through. I had to pull over and just have a quiet moment, or more than a quiet moment, to just digest the information.

While acquitted of six other charges, Saunders remains a bishop, with the Catholic Church yet to take action to defrock him. Sentencing is scheduled for next month. The court heard during the trial that Saunders supplied alcohol to vulnerable young men during parties he hosted.

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Those people have been targeted by others who didn't want the truth to come out. An evil has been called out.

Former priest Matt Digges, who reported Saunders for two decades, described the verdict as "evil called out." He thanked the victims for their courage in coming forward, stating they were targeted by those who wished to suppress the truth. Digges condemned Saunders for damaging the Catholic Church's reputation, calling his actions destructive rather than pastoral.

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Work that has been described as pastoral work is anything but, it was actually destruction of the pastoral basis of the work of the church in the Kimberley.

Chris Bedding, chief executive of the Faith Workers Alliance, echoed these sentiments, stating that bishops should be shepherds, not wolves. He believes the verdict is a moment of reckoning for the church, emphasizing the need to expose "disgusting behavior." Father John Purnell, who facilitated one victim's statement to the police, also praised the bravery of the young Indigenous men involved. Bishop of Broome Tim Norton apologized to the victims, expressing sorrow for their suffering and the delay in their voices being heard.

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Bishops are supposed to be shepherds and not wolves. The perpetrator's actions have brought disgrace upon his church and he's betrayed the people he was sent to serve.