This confidential 208 page Report ‘promoting Co-Responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in Australia’ was commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops and Religious Superiors to review the Catholic Church’s governance and management structures. This followed the final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Royal Commission found that clericalism, a belief that priests and bishops are superior to the lay faithful, resulted in dysfunctional governance and management. The Royal Commission found that the abuse of clerical power was a key contributor to sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
Consistent with the Bishop’s practise of inertia and delay they have decided to withhold the Report from public view for at least another six months.
But here is a link to the Report
03 FINAL Southern Cross Report 010520
John Laurence Menadue is the publisher of Pearls & Irritations. He has had a distinguished career both in the private sector and in the Public Service.
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3 Responses to JOHN MENADUE. The Light From the Southern Cross.A Report on Catholic Church Governance
- Graham English says:
The difference in the USA right now is that so many bystanders have Iphones that record and disseminate incidents in moments and justice is less easily denied. The bishops too have not kept up. Their practice of inertia and delay rely on technologies that have been superseded and subservience that can no longer be presumed. Oh brave new world that has such changes in it! Thanks J.M.
- Ed Cory says:
John, there is a problem with that link, it is more than a single page.
(Well done, and thank you!)
- Stephen Saunders says:
Good play there, John.
Here’s my crass, heathen, test of “governance” progress: A star executive is adjudged to have sacrificed vulnerable kids to career and organisational prestige.
Does the board (a) speak up, and sack him (b) say nothing, and protect him.