The founder of a Catholic order shut down over sexual misconduct defended a religious brother accused of indecent assault despite knowing about allegations against him two decades earlier, an inquiry has heard.
Society of St Gerard Majella founder John Sweeney, who was himself later convicted of indecent assault, knew about sexual impropriety by Peter Harold Pritchard (Brother Joseph Pritchard) as early as 1974, a church inquiry found.
Documents released by the child abuse royal commission show Sweeney wrote a character reference for Pritchard in 1993, telling the magistrate that numerous young men were deeply indebted to the chaplain.
"It seems inconceivable to me that a man who has shown such dedication and commitment to these young men, and has been so solicitous for their welfare and wellbeing, which at times involved great personal sacrifice and working long hours, would, with full knowledge and premeditation, abuse one of them in any way thereby causing personal injury or suffering."
A 1993 church inquiry found allegations of sexual impropriety were substantiated against Sweeney, the vicar general Pritchard and then superior general Brother Stephen Joseph Robinson, following complaints by current and former members of the society.
All three were later convicted of sexual assaults.
Sweeney told the inquiry he played the role of father to the young religious brothers and his "concern and self-sacrificing love for his brothers" had placed him in a vulnerable position, documents tendered to the royal commission show.
"He consistently stated that he did not consider any of his actions as constituting sexual abuse and that in each case they were to be taken into the context of the care, love and affection Brother John Sweeney had for each of the brothers," the inquiry report said.
The Society of St Gerard Majella was founded in 1960 to minister to Catholic students in state schools and ran a Catholic high school in the Diocese of Parramatta plus camps and retreats for young people, including from a naval base.
The Vatican suppressed the society at the request of the Parramatta bishop in 1996, which had the effect of closing it down.
