New Zealand Survivors Of Catholic Clergy Abuse Respond To Papal Election Of Robert Prevost

Survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in New Zealand have responded to the papal election of Robert Prevost with grave concern.

The survivors say Prevost’s election to the papacy is troublesome because of his record in handling clergy sexual abuse cases. Prevost has a history of allowing abusive clergy to continue in ministry. He has also disallowed investigations against accused clergy to proceed.

“This appears to be a man of poor judgement given he has previously placed child sex abusive clergy and institutional interests above the care and safety of his people,” said Dr Christopher Longhurst, a New Zealand-based Catholic theologian, academic, and founder of the Aotearoa New Zealand chapter of the international Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAP.

In 2000, Prevost, a Prior General of the Augustinians, allowed Augustinian priest James Ray who sexually abused minors, to reside at St. John Stone Friary in Chicago around the corner from a Catholic school. The priest had been suspended from public ministry since 1991 due to multiple credible accusations of sexually abusing boys, at least one of them for years.

Chicago diocesan records indicate that Prevost understood at least summarily what accusations the priest faced. While Ray was eventually laicised in 2012, by that time he was facing more allegations of child abuse.

While the approval of Prevost to move a child predator to a residence in close proximity to a Catholic school was not a violation of canon law, this action indisputably placed children at further risk of serious harm. Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago since 2014, said Prevost’s decision was not appropriate for priests accused of child sexual abuse.

In 2022, when Prevost was Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru (2014-2023), three victims of clergy abuse reported their cases to civil authorities after there was no movement on their canonical case under Prevost. The survivors claimed Prevost failed to open an investigation, sent inadequate information to the Vatican, and allowed the priest to continue in ministry.

In January 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, an administrative body charged with overseeing investigations into bishops accused of negligence, coverups, or improperly handling clerical sexual abuse allegations. This move upset survivors and their family members in New Zealand not only because of Prevost’s conduct as Bishop of Chiclayo, but because of the role Prevost played in 2024 clearing Cardinal John Dew of allegations of child sexual assault against two children aged 7 and 8 at an Orphanage in Upper Hut (Wellington) in 1977, without a proper investigation. Survivors say Prevost had the investigation “whitewashed.”

Prevost is a product of harmful autogenic systems that prioritise the interests of clergy and the institution over and above the care of people, according to SNAP. “When church leaders focus on their institution rather than the institution’s mission, they end up perverting that mission,” Longhurst said.

SNAP hopes Prevost’s handling of clerical sexual abusers in his role as Pope will be different to his previous conduct. However, according to Longhurst, “a person’s character is unlikely to change just because he becomes Pope.” “Prevost’s attitude and conduct towards clergy abuse will probably not change in substance because ingrained traits are difficult to change especially after being part of a system that ingrains the protection of its clergy at all costs, promotes laws and doctrines that foster silence to prevent scandal, and hides its financial assets to amass wealth rather than compensate victims,” Longhurst said.

SNAP is calling for the following action within the first three months of Prevost’s pontificate:

• An independent GLOBAL TRUTH COMMISSION with full Vatican cooperation.
• A UNIVERSAL ZERO TOLERANCE LAW implemented into canon law.
• INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AGREEMENTS mandating transparency and accountability.
• A survivor REPARATIONS FUND supported by church assets.
• A GLOBAL SURVIVORS COUNCIL with authority to oversee and enforce compliance.

SNAP Aotearoa New Zealand wishes Robert Prevost a successful pontificate as Pope Leo XIV consistent with the authentic teachings of Jesus Christ.

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