Father Gerard Mackie, of the Belmont parish (south of Newcastle), was interviewed by police, and computer equipment he had taken to the school was confiscated, after the incident on 4 September 2008.

The NSW Department of Education confirmed that an "inappropriate image" was shown on a screen during a Year 2 special religious class at the public school. The image, understood to be an erect penis, was immediately removed by a female classroom teacher who was in the room at the time.

A department spokesman said the school contacted police and all parents of children in the class were advised of the incident by phone.

Maitland-Newcastle Bishop Michael Malone confirmed that the priest had been placed "on restricted ministry" until this matter has been clarified through the police investigation.

Twenty-four hours later, Bishop Malone made a further announcement — that, pending the police investigation, he was standing Fr Mackie aside from the ministry.

Background

Throughout the 1990s, he was Parish Priest at St John the Evangelist parish, Lambton, and was also a hospital chaplain.

From 2001 to the present, he has been Parish Priest and Hospital Chaplain at St Francis Xavier's parish, Belmont. He is also the convenor of the for the Eastlakes Pastoral Region, which means that, as well as Belmont, Mackie is in charge of St Patrick's parish at Swansea and St Pius X parish at Windale.

He is listed as "chaplain (part-time)" for Royal Newcastle Hospital.

He is also listed as chaplain for Antioch, a Catholic movement for teenagers and young adults.