Joanne McCarthy gives a wrap up of the first day of the commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic diocese.

Woodward is a psychologist, and has worked on the Australian bishops’ committee for professional standards. She worked as a psychologist from 1975, was living in the Merewether convent with other nuns, and had her own counselling practice at Merewether.

Counsel assisting Stephen Free is questioning Woodward.

Free: “Had anyone before this conversation with Sister Geatches ever raised or alluded to any concerns about Father Ryan’s behaviour?”

Woodward: “No.”

Woodward confirmed that Geatches told her that the allegations against Vince Ryan included oral sex.

Free: “Had you encountered any incidence of clergy sexually molesting children?”

Woodward: “No.”

Free: “Was it a topic that had been addressed at all in your training as a psychologist?”

Woodward: “I don’t think so, no.”

Free: “What was your personal reaction to hearing this report?”

Woodward: “I was horrified. I remember being very concerned to get Father Ryan away from children.”

Free: “So you perceived him to be a significant threat?”

Woodward: “Predator.”

Justice McClellan has just asked Woodward if she understood what Ryan was doing was a crime.

Woodward: “I don’t think I thought like that at the time.”

McClellan: “If the report had been of a male doing the same things to a girl, would you have thought that was a crime?”

Woodward: “Probably.”

McClellan: “Only probably.”

Woodward: “Yes.”

McClellan: “Why was it any different for a boy?”

Woodward: “Not something I thought about.”

Woodward has told the royal commission she spoke to Father Patrick Cotter, and her notes show that “Monsignor Cotter asked me for my view of what he should do about Ryan”.

Woodward has just told the royal commission she provided details about the abuse to Cotter, as it had been reported to her by Sister Margaret-Anne Geatches.

Woodward: “I described whatever I knew, which was oral and anal penetration, penis sucking and attempts at masturbation.”

This involved primary school age boys.

McClellan: “Sister Woodward, you have described in blunt terms what was told to you. Did you not think any of those activities were crimes?”

He went on to ask: “You didn’t think this man’s done some terrible criminal acts and needs to be dealt with by the criminal justice system?”

Woodward: “I don’t think I thought like that. I kept asking what must we do, and there was no precedent, so I had nothing that I could go back to. So the answer is probably no.”

Woodward recommended to Cotter that Ryan be sent to see psychiatrist Dr Peter Evans, in Melbourne, who was recommended to her by a friend who was also a Franciscan.

Evans had no specialty in the area of treating sex abusers.

Free asked Woodward why a Hunter priest would be sent to a psychiatrist in Melbourne.

Woodward: “The thinking behind sending him to Melbourne was that he would be away from the children he was molesting in Melbourne, in Merewether.”

Free: “So that was part of the attraction in your mind?”

Woodward: “Yes, the distance.”

Woodward said Cotter “confronted” Ryan, who knelt at Cotter’s feet, burst into tears and said he was guilty of the offences.

Woodward said Cotter showed “sadness at the whole episode”.

The royal commission has just been told that Dr Peter Evans was a prior, who lived in a religious community.

A letter has been tendered to the royal commission, from Cotter to Evans.

It includes the line that: “I think Sister Evelyn has told you the necessary details and there is perhaps no need for me to say more. I hope you will be able to help him with his problem, because I know that if he can be cured he can be a most effective priest.”

The letter from Cotter also says Ryan was “a very intelligent young priest – a Roman student with a degree in Canon law and very pastoral in his outlook”.

“He was a great success in the parish despite the fact that he is severe in his manner of dealing with people and preaching,” Cotter said.

Woodward said she offered her services to counsel the children, and made the offer to Cotter.

Woodward is now talking about women in the Catholic church, in response to a question about why she didn’t think of going to the police.

Free: “Was that just because you saw your role as being to report the matter up the chain and once that had occurred, you were leaving it to others to deal with?”

Woodward: “Yes and no. I think another factor was the position of women in the church at that time. We were pretty low in the pecking order, and there was a hierarchical system which I think led me to say ‘I’ve got to hand it over to whoever’s in charge of the diocese’. If that makes any sense.”

Woodward said she didn’t think she had a conversation with Cotter about Ryan’s progress in Melbourne. Woodward said that just before the new bishop, Leo Clark, took up his position in 1976, she suggested to Cotter that he should “inform the bishop of the whole process so far”.

Woodward: “Whether he did or didn’t, I’m not sure.”

Woodward said she thought she had a conversation with Bishop Leo Clarke about Vince Ryan in 1976, before Ryan returned to the Hunter from Melbourne, and she got the impression he was surprised, “as if he hadn’t been informed”.

Woodward said she explained the details of Ryan’s offences “in the same graphic terms”. Clarke was embarrassed.

Woodward said Clarke was “inclined to shrug a bit and presume that everything would be all right when Father Ryan came back”.

Woodward was asked about her conversations with a Father Cantwell during Ryan’s time in Melbourne. Cantwell was a psychologist who was also at the centre where Ryan was living.

Woodward said the reports from Cantwell were “casual”.

“There’d be statements like ‘Well, he’s fitting in well here and he seems to be enjoying the Pastoral Institute’. There wasn’t much mention of treatment,” Woodward said.

Woodward said she was not aware Peter Evans had left for London early in 1976 and there had only been one session of “treatment” for Ryan with Evans.

Woodward indicated she was “appalled” that there had only been one treatment session, but she did not report that to Cotter.  She said she told Clarke.

In her statement to the royal commission, Woodward said “After Ryan’s return I assumed that because he had been treated he would have been curred and would no longer be a danger.”

Free: “Can you tell us, please, at what point did you assume that, one, Father Ryan had been treated and, two, that because of that, he had been cured?”

Woodward gave an answer that didn’t really respond to the question.

McClellan then asked Woodward: “In psychiatric terms, what did you think Ryan’s issue was?”

Woodward: “I thought he was a paedophile.”

McClellan: “In terms of your own learning, had you learnt anything at that stage about the psychiatric treatment of paedophiles?”

Woodward: “No.”

McClellan: “So when you were placing your hope in his treatment as being a cure, what were you basing that on?”

Woodward: “As it turned out, I was basing it on vain hope.”

After a series of questions and answers, McClellan put to Woodward that her expertise in the area, in terms of an understanding that a psychiatrist might be able to treat or cure a paedophile, was “just, as it were, a layperson’s thought”. Woodward answered: “Yes.”

McClellan is now questioning Woodward about her statement that she “didn’t hear any murmur of anything negative” about Ryan once he returned to the Hunter from Melbourne.

It has just been put to Geatches that two people have told either the police, or the royal commission, that Sister Margaret-Anne told them not to discuss the matter.

Phyllis McDonald, the secretary of the school and mother of a boy abused by Ryan, gave a police statement saying Geatches told her not to discuss the matter because of her position at the school.

Geatches: “I don’t recall at any time telling her not to talk about it to anyone.”

Free said teacher Chris Hallinan also said in his statement that “after he had been discussing the matters with the boys, as he describes it, interviewing them, you had told him not to discuss the matter further with either the boys or the parents, and that it was a church matter that he wasn’t to take any further part in”.

Free: “Do you remember telling him that?”

Geatches: “No I don’t remember telling him that. What I thought I was doing that afternoon was asking him not to discuss it any more with the boys that afternoon so that we could get them ready to go home from school.”

Free has told the royal commission a former teacher named Patrick Roohan had given the commission a statement today, Wednesday, in which he said he spoke to Hallinan about the boys’ complaints.

Roohan said that Hallinan said Geatches told him “If anyone finds out about this we’ll all get the sack”.

Free: “Is that something you ever said to Mr Hallinan?”

Geatches: “I have no recollection of saying that to Mr Hallinan.”

She said there was no discussion about reporting to the police, and she never spoke to Hallinan again, or Bishops Leo Clark or Michael Malone.

Geatches said she told staff to advise her if Ryan ever appeared in the playground because “I didn’t want the children to be upset again and to see him there in the playground”.

She said she thought Ryan was sent to Melbourne after the allegations were raised, because he would get some “rehabilitation”.

She said she became aware when he returned from Melbourne after a year and was at Cessnock. She thought that he had had some treatment and “you know, everything should be all right”.

At a handover to the new principal, she did not mention the offending by Vince Ryan because he was “no longer a threat to the children”.

She wasn’t aware that Sister Evelyn Woodward had recommended counselling for the children, in discussions with Father Patrick Cotter.

Geatches has just told the royal commission the matter of Vince Ryan was “a church issue”, and she had made it plain to teacher Chris Hallinan.

Geatches agreed Hallinan was only 22, in his first year of teaching, and he did not even have his teacher’s certificate.

Gallagher: “You would agree with the proposition that he would be looking to you for guidance, being the principal of the school?”

Geatches: “Yes.”

Geatches has repeated that she told him to stop speaking to the children about what had occurred on the sports field with Ryan, but has insisted that it was to settle the children down.

Gallagher: “Do you recall actually asking to see Mr Hallinan and telling him, in a very brief conversation some days or even weeks after this incident in the classroom, that he was to take no further action because the church was looking after the issue associated with Father Ryan?”

Geatches: “I don’t recall using those words at all, to Chris.”

Gallagher: “Do you recall ever saying to Chris, in seeking to reassure him, that it was a church issue and he need not worry about taking matters further?”

Geatches: “I may have said that, because at the time, I thought it was a church issue.”

Justice McClellan has just referred to Geatches’ evidence that she understood Father Ryan’s “problem” was capable of treatment.

McClellan: “Now, back then, what did you think his problem was?”

Geatches: “Well, I had nothing, no name to put on it at the time, but I just knew that he was sexually assaulting the children in a way.”

She said she had not experienced child sexual assault before.

McClellan: “What really interests me is your understanding it could be treated. You see, that suggests that you had had discussions or you had read material that told you that it could be treated. Where did you get that understanding from?”

Geatches: “I suppose I was naive in thinking that it could be treated.”

McClellan has just asked Geatches if, as a principal, she had spoken to other principals about child sexual assault. She said no.

McClellan: “Now I take it when you describe Ryan’s behaviour as sexually assaulting the children, you appreciated that was a crime, did you?”

Geatches: “No, I didn’t actually think of it as a crime.”

McClellan: “How else could you describe sexual assault of a crime?”

Geatches: “Now I would call it a crime.”

McClellan: “If a man sexually assaulted a young girl in the school, would you see that as a crime, back then?”

Geatches: “Yes, I would.”

McClellan: “Why didn’t you see a man assaulting a boy, sexually assaulting a boy, as a crime?”

Geatches: “I just don’t, I just think that we weren’t informed enough to be able to make those decisions at the time.”

McClellan: “You understand that if you had acted in accordance with an understanding that sexual assault was a crime, Ryan’s behaviour would have come to a half pretty quickly because he would have been dealt with by the criminal law. Do you understand that?”

Geatches: “Yes, yes.”

McClellan: “And that’s what should have happened?”

Geatches: “Yes.”

She has told the royal commission she made no inquiries about Vince Ryan once she saw him back in the Hunter, acting as a priest.

Geatches: “When I saw him I didn’t think about that at all.”

Geatches continued working for another 10 years after the original issues at Merewether. She was asked what processes were in place by 1985 if there were allegations of child sexual abuse.

Allegations would be reported to the director of the diocese, or the diocesan education office.

Mr Willoughby representing survivor Gerard McDonald is now questioning Sister Geatches, and asking her if it’s probable she told teacher Chris Hallinan he was not required to deal with the issue.

Geatches: “I don’t think I told Chris that he wasn’t required to deal with the issue. I just said the issue would be dealt with.”

“I would see that something was done about it for the children’s sake. I would have said that he, there was no need for him to make a report, that I would deal with it,” she said.

Willoughby has just put to Geatches that she told Hallinan he was not to report the issue and that should he report the issue, it may have consequences for his future employment within the organisation.

Geatches: “I can be almost certain that I did not say such a thing to Chris, about his employment. I at no time mentioned that he, it would affect his employment or future employment within the Catholic education system.”

Ms Needham for Sister Geatches has just asked whether she, as principal of the school, had any control over which parish priest conducted services in the church.

Geatches: “No, I had no control whatsoever.”

Needham: “And did you have any control about the role of the parish priest within the school?”

Geatches: “No, I didn’t, no.”

Justice McClellan has just asked Geatches what was the relationship between the parish priest, the education office and teachers in the school.

Geatches: “At that time the parish priest was still responsible for some of the administration and the buildings, in the schools, but the Catholic Education office was beginning to take over the employment of teachers and the financial conditions of the school.”

McClellan has just put to Geatches that if Ryan had said he did not want lay teacher Chris Hallinan at the school, then he would have to go.

Geatches has said the system at the time was in transition, between priests having a lot of say over appointments of lay teachers at schools, and the Catholic Education Office having more say.

McClellan: “That would make it logical for you to point out to Mr Hallinan that if he complained about the activities of one of the assistant priests, that could affect his employment in the school. That would be a logical thing to have thought, isn’t it?”

Geatches has struggled to answer the question.

McClellan tried again: “And if Mr Hallinan told other people what he knew about the conduct of one of the priests on the parish staff, given the relationship between the priest and the teachers, could that not have had an adverse impact upon Mr Hallinan’s position?”

Geatches: “I’m really not sure of that at the time, in the time that it happened.”

Needham and McClellan are now discussing whether a parish priest, even an assistant priest like Vince Ryan, would have influence over a young teacher working at a parish school.

McClellan: “It would be inconceivable that an adverse view formed by the parish priest of a teacher could not reflect upon that person’s capacity to be employed in that school.”

Needham: “Your Honour, I think the question of whether it is inconceivable or not is one that there will be submissions about. We would say the documents show that it was done remotely.”

McClellan: “I understand the legal position. You are not appreciating the reality of this.”

Needham is now questioning Geatches about what concerns she had after the disclosures about Ryan’s abuse.

She said she had no concerns about her position, or the teacher.

Needham: “Did you have any concerns for Mr Hallinan’s position?”

Geatches: “No, I just thought things would go on as normal, that there would be no repercussion to the teacher.”

She is archivist at the Sisters of St Joseph’s at Lochinvar and was principal at the primary school from 1973.

Geatches is giving evidence about a “commotion” on the sports field in December 1975, involving children.

A mother told her that Father Ryan had been “touching some boys down at the park and that this had occurred at the sacristy as well”.

Geatches said she spoke to a group of boys that included Gerard McDonald and Scott Hallett. They said they had been touched by Father Ryan, and indicated their crotch area.

One of the boys said it had been going on for some time.

Counsel assisting, Stephen Free: “It was very clear to you that what they were describing was sexual touching?”

Geatches: “Yes, that’s correct.”

Free: “What was your reaction to the boys telling you this?”

Geatches: “I felt alarmed, but at the same time I felt I had to do something about this.”

Free: “Did you believe the boys?”

Geatches: “Yes, I believed the boys.”

She said the boys went to Mr Hallinan’s class where there was another “commotion”.

Geatches said she assured Mr Hallinan she would do something about it.

Free has questioned Geatches about McDonald’s evidence that she said “Don’t listen to the boys. You’ll never work in a Catholic school again”

She said she had no recollection of saying that.

Geatches spoke to her deputy, and reported it to the leader of her congregation, but not until January.

Geatches finished up at the school and had to move.

Geatches: “I was speaking to her in connection with my move and I mentioned that to her.”

She said there was no connection between events involving the boys’ disclosures and her move.

Geatches said she became aware that Father Cotter was aware of the disclosures. She expected to be asked to talk to Father Cotter, but that didn’t happen.

Geatches said Cotter was advised through another sister, Evelyn Woodward.

Geatches said she spoke to Sister Evelyn Woodward that night. Woodward was a counsellor.

Free: “As far as you were aware, there was no protocol or policy in place to guide you in how to deal with this problem?”

Geatches: “That’s true, there wasn’t anything in place.”

Free: “Did the two of you discuss the need to report it to Monsignor Cotter?”

Geatches: “We decided that was the best way to go.”

She remembers telling Woodward that Ryan had been touching boys and “this had evidently been going on for some time because they mentioned that it had also been happening in the cupboard at the sacristy”.

Geatches has told the royal commission that she “knew that I didn’t want Father Ryan to be anywhere near the children again”.

She was a mother with children at St Joseph’s Catholic Church and school at Merewether in 1974.

At the time Vince Ryan and Patrick Cotter were the church’s priests.

CNA’s two sons were at the school. CNA typed up the school newsletter.

She is recalling a day when her youngest son was 6.

She said he told her “Father Ryan touched me on my dickie bird”.

“I felt shocked and probably felt disbelief and I asked him to repeat what he said. he repeated the statement and said it had happened when he and his older brother were playing.”

He said Ryan did it while she was preparing the school newsletter. Her older son confirmed he had done it to her as well.

CNA rang her mother, who also attended the church.

She suggested she speak to John Scroggings, who was a police prosecutor.

She went to his home.

“I told the police prosecutor what my sons said to me. he explained I could make a formal complaint, and that my sons would be required to appear in court. He said it would be their word against the word of a priest. I recall him using the term ‘ a man of the cloth’.”

The police prosecutor, who was a member of the church, suggested she go to speak to Father Patrick Cotter.

She and her husband went to the presbytery a week later, after he returned home from being away at work.

“We met with Father Cotter. I said, ‘I’ve got a complaint against Father Ryan’.”

She said she told him Ryan had touched her two boys on their private parts.

“I can remember looking at Father Cotter and seeing the colour sort of drain from his face. He had a look of anguish and shock on his face.”

He called Ryan.

“I said ‘My two boys have said you touched them on their private parts’. I was expecting an apology or something and was surprised by Father Ryan’s response. Father Ryan said ‘No, nothing like that happened’. I offered to bring the boys in to put the allegation to him. Both Father Cotter and Father Ryan said that would not be necessary.”

“I was at a bit of a loss with their reaction. I knew in myself that I couldn’t put my boys through court and didn’t think much else could be done. I thought to myself what can I do, it is the word of two little boys against that of a Catholic priest. Catholic priests in 1974 were held in the highest esteem and were trusted by the community and their congregation. I didn’t know what to do or where to turn to after my meeting with Father Cotter and Father Ryan.”

CNA has just told the royal commission of a chilling encounter with Ryan within the week, at a supermarket at The Junction.

She was on her own and Ryan came up to her and whispered “They’re just words”.

“I remember I felt very scared and I replied: ‘What do you mean?’ he then said, ‘What you just said, they’re just words’.”

“I remember going straight home and thinking to myself ‘They’re just words. So is the Catholic Church, so is the parish priest. They’re just words.”

11.37am The royal commission is about to resume after the morning tea break to consider evidence about Hunter paedophile priest Vince Ryan.

Survivor Gerard McDonald, 52, will give evidence to the royal commission about his abuse by Vince Ryan.

His parents were devout Catholics. McDonald was the youngest of five children. He attended St Joseph’s Catholic primary school at The Junction in the early 1970s.

His mother Phyllis was secretary of the school. McDonald said he generally enjoyed school, although the nuns could be harsh.

McDonald became an altar boy in year 5, along with Scott Hallett. McDonald has just said “Wish you were here, Scott.”

Altar boy training was conducted by Vince Ryan.

“During 1975 Father Ryan abused me on multiple occasions, within the first couple of weeks of altar boy practise, for nearly the entire year, occurring after every practise, out the front of my home, in broad daylight. The abuse went on until I told my mother at the end of the year.”

“My mother trusted Ryan to bring me home. She would have trusted any priest. Even though I lived closest to the church, Father Ryan dropped me off last.”

McDonald is telling how Ryan performed oral sex on him in a car after saying to him: “Does this feel good?”

After the abuse Ryan said to him: “Don’t tell anybody about our little secret.”

McDonald said Ryan became a different person after he took his glasses off.

“He was no longer the friendly, charismatic priest who had played games with us and made driving in his car fun. He became intense, focused and very, very scary. I came to dread him taking his glasses off.”

 He was 10 at the time.

He talked of one time when he saw his brother in the distance and said “There’s Tony”.

“Father Ryan said: ‘Don’t yell out, it’s our secret, don’t tell anybody. They won’t believe you anyway because I’m a priest’. This confirmed for me what Ryan was doing was wrong, but what could I say against aCatholic priest.”

Ryan would chase the boys around the vestry and into a cupboard and lock us in.

“I would think to myself, I know what is going to happen now but I never said anything as I was too scared.”

McDonald is telling the royal commission about being abused by Ryan in front of other boys.

“I think the other boys were laughing and thought it was funny, but I was scared. Father Ryan continued to suck my penis for a few minutes, stopping occasionally and asking ‘Does this feel good? Don’t tell anybody, any of you’.”

“When Father Ryan had finished with me, he moved on and did the same thing to Scott Hallett.”

He said the priest went on to do the same with all boys.

McDonald is now telling the royal commission about an incident where Ryan encouraged the altar boys to try and have sex with each other. He has told the royal commission Ryan then attempted to have sex with him, in front of the other boys.

During an incident at a sportsground where Ryan chased the boys, and the boys yelled that Ryan was a “Poofter”, the mother of one of the altar boys asked what was going on.

The boys told her Ryan had been touching them. McDonald said the woman responded: “That’s disgusting.”

A year after the abuse against McDonald started, the mother of an altar boy arrived at McDonald’s house and said her son had alleged Ryan had sexually abused him. McDonald told his mother and the other woman that Ryan “sucked” him.

“I am not sure what my mother and the other mother did after I told them about Father Ryan,” McDonald said.

McDonald said his teacher, Mr Hallinan, asked him what had happened to him, and what Ryan had done to him. McDonald said he liked his teacher, who was the best teacher he had ever had, and Mr Hallinan was disgusted by what had happened.

McDonald has told the royal commission that the school principal, Sister Margaret Ann, arrived at his class and she was very angry. He remembers her telling Mr Hallinan “Don’t listen to those boys. You will never work in a Catholic school again.”

Ryan was sent to Melbourne, but returned in 1977 when McDonald was in Marist Brothers Hamilton.

“At the beginning of the year there was a church service for the whole school. When I got to the hall I saw that Father Ryan was taking the service. i couldn’t believe it.

“During the service, all I could think about was running to my mate’s parents’ place and grabbing the biggest two knives he had and killing Father Ryan. I didn’t do it. I should have. The damage that bastard’s done to my life, my family, my friends and to everybody else. I feel guilty that I didn’t do it and he went on to abuse other boys.”

McDonald has told the royal commission that he told his mother who was furious and phoned the school.

He said he was “pretty sure” she spoke to Brother Alexis.

“I overheard mum on the phone in the next room yelling something like ‘How dare you have that filthy man there. I don’t want him at that school, with what he has done to the altar boys’.”

“I did not see Father Ryan again until he was charged and at court.”

McDonald attended a funeral at Waratah in 1995, where Scott Hallett was.

“I hugged Scott and he hugged me back. I said ‘It’s about time we did something’.”

The two men reported the matter to police and spoke with Troy Grant, the current NSW Deputy Premier and Police Minister.

Ryan was convicted of child sex offences after pleading guilty. McDonald was angry that he was not able to give evidence about what Ryan had done to him.

McDonald is giving evidence about how the church responded after Ryan’s conviction. Bishop Michael Malone conducted the process.

Malone apologised to him, but McDonald was angry.

“Bishop Malone wasn’t the one at fault. What I would like to hear is that the Catholic Church hierarchy knew what was going on but covered it up,” McDonald said.

“I knew nothing about sex or much about life until Father Ryan abused me. I used to drink heavily to forget the emotional pain he caused me, and the non-action of the Catholic Church over the matter.

“I have been in trouble with the police over incidents that are alcohol-related. I have had trouble forming relationships and sexual relationships, and I am at times confused about my sexuality, all as a result of Father Ryan’s abuse.

“I don’t believe in God, and I haven’t since I was abused.”

McDonald said he could not bring himself to go to his nephew’s wedding because it was held at St Josephs Church where the abuse occurred.

McDonald said the sexual abuse by Ryan and others had split the community. He had been called a liar. For some strange reason some people think I have done something wrong.

In my eyes, Monsignor Cotter and Bishop Leo Clark were responsible for what Father Ryan did to so many young boys. How they were never charged has got me stuffed. I often think ‘Why did all these people cover it up, sweep it under the carpet and let him keep doing it’?”

McDonald has paid moving tribute to his wife, who he described as his “rock”. “Even though i can’t talk directly to her about what happened, her love and understanding keep me alive. It’s for her and my son Ben that I keep going.

“I can never relax and I’m always fidgeting. It’s really hard for me to sit here today. I go down to my shed a lot and just spend time there by myself. I’ve punched the wall so many times I’ve broken the bones in both my hands numerous times.”

McDonald has told the royal commission he has considered suicide many times.

“The reason I have not jumped is because then Father Ryan, Cotter, especially Cotter, Clark and all the other people who covered up for them win. I will not let them win.”

“I want to speak for the children of the past, present and future. I want this to never happen again to another child. I want the survivors of this abuse to be believed and understood. I want the same and the guilt to be put where it belongs, with the abusers and those who did nothing or lied to protect them.”

Lawyer for Sister Margaret-Ann Geatches has put to McDonald that the nun did not say what he alleged she said.

McDonald: “Well, I couldn’t really hear, but it sounded like something like that.”

Mr McClellan has just granted leave to appear to lawyers representing a number of witnesses at the royal commission.

Mr McClellan is just considering argument from a lawyer representing a convicted Catholic offender, a Marist Brother, requesting a non-publication order in relation to the royal commission.

A District Court jury last week refused an application to have a non-publication order over the man’s name.

McClellan has told the royal commission the Brother will be mentioned at the royal commission. The Marist Brother is known as CNL at the moment. He will be sentenced on September 23.

McClellan: “If a pseudonym is provided to a person, it will inevitably have the effect that the whole story will not be understood by some who may be interested in understanding what has occurred.

McClellan: “The situation, as I understand it, is that there are some further charges which CNL must face. Whenever that trial may be, I am of the view that there is almost no chance that having regard to the nature of the evidence which will be discussed in these proceedings and the number of people that will be discussed, that the name of CNL will resonate to the point where a juror in Sydney would be likely to remember or, indeed, in any way be influenced by the discussion which may occur in this commission.”

McClellan declined the non-publication order.

McClellan is now considering a non-publication order request from a Newcastle Marist principal who has been charged with offences.

McClellan: “His behaviour will be examined in the course of these proceedings in relation to his carrying out of his responsibilities in that role. Is that right?”

Grant Brady, SC, for the Marist Brother: “Yes, that’s as I understand and no doubt bearing in mind the material we have some allegations of a failure to respond to allegations about a number of the Brothers.”

Justice McClellan has just challenged Brady’s argument that identifying him might prejudice a trial in the District Court next year, by noting that “The District Court list is in serious trouble”, and any trial might not be held until 2018.

McClellan: “It is important that in any case study which the royal commission conducts that the general public have as much understanding as possible about the events which have occurred, particularly within the individual community in which the events have occurred.”

The request was declined.

Counsel assisting Mr Stephen Free has started his opening remarks.

The royal commission will not be considering the cases of paedophile priests Jim Fletcher and Denis McAlinden because of the Special Commission of Inquiry in NSW in 2013.

The royal commission will also not be considering other cases because of on-going prosecutions.

This case study will look at Marist Brothers Romuald, Patrick and Dominic.

“In examining the response of the Catholic Church as an institution to child sexual abuse it is important for this royal commission to consider whether the matters revealed in any particular case study ought to be understood as being peculiar to certain places, times or individuals,” Mr Free said.

The royal commission public hearing in Newcastle will expose “striking similarities” with events the subject of earlier case studies.

“There is a long and disturbing history of suffering by children in the diocese of Maitland Newcastle inflicted by diocesan priests and members of religious orders.”

The royal commission is being given figures about this diocese: 

It has received substantiated claims or complaints from 158 people.

The claims relate to 31 different alleged perpetrators.

The diocese has paid out $25.7 million in compensation to claimants.

Of the 31 alleged perpetrators, 58 per cent were priests and 6 per cent were members of a religious order.

The balance were lay people.

46 of those claims were at St Pius X High School in Adamstown.

32 people have made either a claim or substantiated complaint of child sexual abuse against Marist brothers in Maitland and Hamilton.

Father Vince Ryan

Was born in 1938 and raised in Maitland. Ryan was conscious of sexual attraction to boys even before he entered the priesthood. He told a priest in confession of his inclinations and said he was concerned about whether he should be going into the seminary. The priest told him not to be swayed and reassured him that if he said his prayers God would look after him.

Ryan entered the seminar at the age of 19 and was ordained in 1966.

The royal commission has been told Ryan engaged in masturbation, oral sex and attempted sodomy with boys aged 10 and 12, and encouraged boys to perform sex acts on each other.

The commission will hear evidence from two survivors. They will tell of the profound impact the abuse had on them and their families.

The commission will hear evidence of Monsignor Patrick Cotter’s knowledge of Ryan.

The diocese has paid $2.9 million to one survivor of abuse by Ryan, and $2.9 million to another 12 survivors.

The commission will hear evidence from a number of people who were involved in the disclosure of abuse in 1975 and the subsequent response by diocesan officials including Dr Peter Evans and Sister Evelyn Woodward who was involved in recommending Dr Evens as an appropriate treatment provider while Ryan was in Melbourne, where he was sent in 1976 after serious sexual abuse allegations were raised with Cotter.

Ryan saw Evans once, and this was the only treatment he ever received for his “problem”, as it was described by Cotter.

Brother Romuald (Francis Cable) 

He entered the Marist Brothers in 1951.

The royal commission will hear evidence complaints were made to Brother Christopher in the 1970s, the principal at the time.

He will be asked about occasions complaints were made to him.

No action was taken against Romuald and when he left the Hunter he received a glowing reference from a senior member of the Marist Brothers.

Brother Dominic (Darcy O’Sullivan) 

Convicted of child sexual abuse.

From 1994 the Marist received several reports of abuse by Dominic at Hamilton, Casino and Riverview in Queensland. One of the Marist Brothers responsible for dealing with reports of abuse was Brother Alexis Turton.

In 1994 he confronted Brother Dominic about one of the complaints. Brother Alexis will give evidence at this public hearing.

In 1996 a year nine student made a complaint of inappropriate touching by Dominic to police and to the school where Dominic was principal.

Dominic explained the conduct as having been “foolish but not sexual”.

He was not removed from his role as principal although he agreed to a “hands off approach to students”.

No other steps appear to have been taken.

In 1996 Dominic entered a spiritual renewal program known as Wellsprings. The following year the Marist Brothers had difficulty finding an appointment for dominic. The then provincial Brother Michael Hill will give evidence about a suggestion Dominic should take up a position in Fiji, which was declined.

There were attempts to have Dominic work at Marist Brothers schools at Dundas or Ashgrove in Queensland, but the principals of those schools resisted the appointment.

Dominic pleaded guilty in March 2016 to 12 counts of indecent assault against 12 former students. 

Brother Patrick (Thomas Butler)

He entered the Marist Brothers junior novitiate at the age of 13 in 1943.

He took his vows in 1951 and went on to teach at Marist schools in NSW and Queensland for five decades.

One survivor told police in 2013 that he reported he was abused by Patrick in 1972 and reported the abuse to Brother Christopher.

He told police that after this his brother was also abused by brother Patrick and their father made an additional complaint to Brother Christopher. Brother Christopher has stated on previous occasions that he does not recall those conversations.

Brother Christopher has told the royal commission he did not receive any complaints about Patrick.

One matter to be explored in the royal commission is the Marist Brothers response to a police request in 2001 for “any history of circumstances which may suggest that the Brother has acted in any way in an inappropriate manner with any child during his extensive teaching career”.

The police were looking to identify any similar fact or tendency evidence that might assist in the prosecution of charges relating to a complaint by a boy.

“By this time the Marist Brothers were aware of at least half a dozen complaints relating to inappropriate conduct by Brother Patrick. Notwithstanding this, police records suggest that based on communications with Brother Michael Hill, the police came to the mistaken belief that there had only ever been one previous complaint about Brother Patrick brought to the attention of the Marist Brothers. The nature of the response to the police request is a matter to be explored with witnesses including Brother Alexis and Brother Michael Hill,” Mr Free said.

Brother Patrick died in 2006. In 2011, solicitors for the Marist Brothers conducted a review of the files relating to Brother Patrick to respond to a civil claim by a survivor.

They concluded that there was, at the very least, a failure in the administration, reporting system and supervision.

9.30am

Good morning. It’s Joanne McCarthy back at the Royal Commission hearings in Newcastle, with the focus today on the response of Catholic Church authorities in the Maitland-Newcastle region to allegations of child sexual abuse.

Today’s hearing comes after 11 days of hearings into the Newcastle Anglican diocese. To read more about these hearings, check the video and links below.