Palmerston North’s Bishop Charles Drennan quits after woman complained of ‘unacceptable behaviour of a sexual nature’Agence France-Presse Fri 4 Oct 2019 22.42A New Zealand Catholic bishop has resigned after a young woman accused him of engaging in “unacceptable behaviour of a sexual nature”, the church said.Bishop Charles Drennan, who oversaw the North Island diocese of Palmerston North, tendered his resignation after an independent investigation into his conduct.“The young woman has requested that details of the complaint remain private,” the Metropolitan Archbishop of New Zealand, Cardinal John Dew, said in a statement released late on Friday.Sex abuse scandals around the globe have shaken the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope has promised “zero tolerance.”“It can be confirmed that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation,” Dew said.
New Zealand child abuse inquiry widened to include religious institutions.“In the eyes of the Catholic church, Bishop Drennan’s behaviour was completely unacceptable, and it fully supports the young woman for coming forward.”Dew said the complainant had been informed of Drennan’s resignation and the Church was committed to giving her ongoing support.The NZCatholic website said Drennan, 59, became a bishop in 2011 and took over in Palmerston North a year later.It said he had previously worked for the Vatican’s Secretariat of State under St John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
More recently, Drennan was part of a Catholic group that was liaising on the Church’s behalf with a judicial inquiry into historical abuse of children in care.
The royal commission, established last year, is examining abuse of children who were wards of the state or church between 1950 and 1999.“The Catholic Church has no tolerance for any inappropriate behaviour by any of its members,” Dew said.“I encourage anyone who experiences such behaviour to bring it to the attention of the Church, police or any organisation with which they feel comfortable.”PAT SAYSWhat is unusual about this case is that it seems to involve a “heterosexual” cleric.But if course, abuse is abuse, regardless of sesexual orientation.Heterosexual abuse was more common in the past, as many clerics were heteros.Of late the priesthood has been homosexualised, and as a result most abuse has been of boys and men.Of course, the RCC, need to impose zero tolerance of abuse regardless of the aex of the victimI am in Portugal at present.I was reading today that the rate of clerical abuse in Portugal is relatively small?
Faro Cathedral 1 pm on 6/10/19
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 