Ex-bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns finally testifies on abuse

Former bishop Ronald Mulkearns appeared frail as he gave evidence about an ex-priest accused of sex offences.

Bishop Mulkearns

Former bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns appeared yesterday as a frail and struggling 84-year-old as he gave landmark evidence about a former priest accused of sex offences.

Robert Claffey, 72, is charged with 16 sex offences dating betwee­n 1970 and 1992. Bishop Mulkearns was called to give evidence in the case as his former spiritual leader.

Bishop Mulkearns’s appearance yesterday is seen as a potential training run for a possible appearance at the child-sex royal commission, but he seemed to struggle under the pressure of the Claffey court case. Bishop Mul­kearns is under scrutiny over his past management of the Catholic Church’s diocese of Ballarat, where hundreds of children were abused by members of the clergy. Bishop Mulkearns cited ill-health, and was able to avoid appearing at a Victorian parliamentary inquiry due to a stroke, but failed to gain dispensation for Mr Claffey’s case.

Dwarfed by his own suit jacket and wearing a priestly collar, ­Bishop Mulkearns slowly made his way to the witness stand in the Geelong Magistrates Court yesterday. He was hesitant when asked if he would prefer to take an oath on the Bible or an affirm­ation, before choosing the Bible.

Magistrate John Lesser asked Bishop Mulkearns to speak louder and to say if he did not understand the question asked or did not know the answer.

With hands placed on either side of the witness box, Bishop Mulkearns told the court he was ordained as a priest in 1956, ­appointed as a bishop in 1968 and assigned the Ballarat diocese in 1971. He said that as bishop he was ­responsible for the diocese of Ballarat and agreed Mr Claffey was one of his priests.

From that point on, Bishop Mulkearns appeared less certain.

Prosecutor Peter Rose QC asked Bishop Mulkearns whether a parishioner from Wendouree, which is part of the western Victorian city of Ballarat, came to him to complain about Mr Claffey.

“I don’t recall that,” Bishop Mulkearns said.

Mr Rose produced a note on stationery from the Bishop’s House in Ballarat and signed by Bishop Mulkearns. The note ­stated that a parishioner went to see the bishop on July 7, 1989, and complained that then Father Claffey­ had made sexual advances to his son and fondled him.

It stated that Bishop Mul­kearns asked Father Claffey to see him that afternoon and “he admitted that there had been some imprope­r behaviour”.

Bishop Mulkearns wrote that Father Claffey agreed to his suggestion that he receive counselling and that he was about to resign his parish.

Bishop Mulkearns told the court he had “no specific recollect­ion” of the matter referred to in the document. “I recall him ­resigning, I don’t remember when,” he said.

Mr Rose asked what recollect­ion he had of Mr Claffey outside of the note. “I remember he had been misbehaving … in a sexual way,” Bishop Mulkearns said.

Mr Claffey indicated he would be pleading not guilty to all ­charges.

Mr Claffey’s lawyer, Daryl Wraith, said he would be seeking a stay of the trial while the royal commission was in progress as the commission touched on matters concerning his client.

Mr Claffey will appear before the County Court in Melbourne next month for a directions ­hearing.