The Truth, Justice and Healing Council provided the following four volumes to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia. The advice helped shape the Church’s response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Truth Justice and Healing Council concludes its work
The Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council concluded its work on Monday 30 April 2018 after more than five years coordinating the Church’s response to the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. The Council, in one of its final acts, will this week deliver to the Church leadership the final of its four-volume report:
Volume One: Where from and where to; The Truth Justice and Healing Council, the Royal Commission and the Catholic Church in Australia
Volume Two: The Royal Commission’s recommendations, and responses from The Truth Justice and Healing Council
Volume Three: What we have done: An Activity Report from The Truth Justice and Healing Council: 2013 to 2018
Volume Four: Emerging Themes: A snapshot of approaches taken by Church authorities in Australia to formation, governance, legal and policy issues (2016)
The decision on when and if these reports will be made public will be determined by the Church leadership.
The Royal Commission and the Truth Justice and Healing Council
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has investigated how organisations such as the Catholic Church responded to victims and allegations of child sexual abuse over the past decades.
Read More
The Truth Justice and Healing Council was established by the leadership of the Catholic Church to co-ordinate the Church's response to the Commission, to help develop the Church's reform agenda and to act as the public voice of the Church during the life of the Commission.
Read More
The Royal Commission's Final Report - December 2017
On 15 December 2017 the Royal Commission presented a final report to the Governor-General, detailing the culmination of a five year inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse and related matters.
The Report was released publicly on the same day.
Read the full report
Catholic Church in Australia's Commitment Statement
The leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia in its submissions to the Royal Commission and in its communications with both the Catholic and broader communities have made a commitment recognising and acknowledging the crimes of the past and the devastating harm caused by child sexual abuse.
In the statement Church leaders commit to repairing the past wrongs, listening to and hearing survivors, putting their needs first and doing everything possible to ensure a safer future for children.
Read the Church’s Commitment statement to survivors of child sexual abuse and the broader community here