• Reverend Father Peter Julian Brock once ministered as a parish priest in the Catholic diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, New South Wales. From 2002, he spent several years working as executive officer of the Catholic Church’s National Commission for Clergy Life and Ministry. On 2 March 2012, a media release from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference stated that Father Peter Brock was now working as its national project officer, preparing for the church’s "Year of Grace" which would be launched in mid-2012.

#1. Statement from Bishop Michael Malone re Fr Peter Brock,
12 November 2010

Here (in full) is a statement in November 2010 from Bishop Malone (who was then in charge of the Maitland-Newcastle diocese), as published on the Cathnews website:

"It is with considerable joy that I inform you that Fr Peter Brock is able to return to ministry as a priest.

"In September 2007 certain criminal allegations were made against Fr Peter in a formal statement to the NSW Police. As a consequence, I stood Fr Peter aside from ministry pending the outcome of a Police investigation. Fr Peter was subsequently arrested and charged in October 2008. Fr Peter always maintained his innocence of the charges.

"A Committal Hearing took place at Newcastle Local Court on December 2009. The Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew all the charges against Fr Peter at that hearing.

"As a result of the allegation not being pursued by the criminal justice system, the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle was obliged to commence an investigation of the matter as it related to allegations of reportable conduct against Fr Peter, under Part 3A of the NSW Ombudsman Act 1974.

"The allegations were serious and demanded a thorough impartial investigation be undertaken. An independent investigation firm was engaged to undertake the investigation on behalf of the diocese. The investigation was finalised in October 2010 and our response has been forwarded to the Ombudsman.

"On advice from my Child Protection Officer and others, there is no barrier to Fr Peter's return to ministry.

"After more than three years of anxious waiting Fr Peter is understandably bruised by his experience. He and I are grateful to his family and friends for their loving support of him during what has been a traumatic experience.

"By his own choice, Fr Peter will ease back into ministry in a quiet way. He is free to celebrate Mass. Initially, he will focus his considerable talents on ministry to adults and supporting our clergy.

"Please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers. I am disappointed at the time it has taken to arrive at this result," Bishop Malone's statement concluded.

• [In April 2011, five months after the above statement, Bishop Michael Malone retired as a bishop. He was succeeded in Maitland-Newcastle by Bishop William Wright.]

#2. Bishop Malone expresses regret regarding his 2010 statement

Former Maitland Newcastle bishop Michael Malone has expressed regret that comments made in a public statement [in 2010] caused distress to two men involved in a child sex abuse court case.

Bishop Malone announced "with considerable joy" the return to ministry of Father Peter Brock in November [2010] after the withdrawal of sex charges against the priest at a Newcastle Court committal hearing in 2009, and a subsequent diocese investigation.

But within a week the then-bishop, and the diocese's child protection unit manager Sean Tynan, had written to the two men whose allegations led to charges against the priest, expressing regret over the diocese's handling of his return to ministry.

Father Brock has always denied the allegations.

The Newcastle Herald is not suggesting he is guilty of any offence, but the church's handling of his return has created controversy. In his statement on November 12 [2010] Bishop Malone said Father Brock would return to ministry "by his own choice . . . in a quiet way", and initially would "focus his considerable talents on ministry to adults".

The statement's appearance in the Herald prompted a complaint from lawyers for the two men.

In a letter in response Bishop Malone advised the men, who [in early 2011] had claims paid and settled by the diocese, but without any admission of liability by the church, that he regretted "any distress the statement or the timing of its release may have caused".

Mr Tynan wrote that there was "no intention to be disrespectful or inconsiderate to you", but "with the benefit of hindsight, this should have been dealt with better".

The two men complained to the NSW Ombudsman, and lodged a further complaint after they were advised of the findings of a diocese investigation which was forwarded to the Ombudsman's office.

One of the men told the Herald his requests to Bishop Malone to issue an amended public statement were refused.

Bishop Malone did not respond to a request for comment this week [August 2011].

Newly installed Newcastle Bishop Bill Wright did not respond to questions about whether he stood by the November [2010] statement, or whether it accurately reflected the findings of the diocese's investigation and Father Brock's return to ministry.

"The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has an obligation to uphold the National Privacy Principles," Bishop Wright said.

"The Diocese respects and maintains the privacy of all persons involved in matters of child protection and their personal journeys towards healing.

"Equally, the Diocese respects each individual's personal choice either to maintain their own privacy or to share their story with others."

• This concludes the full text of the Newcastle Herald article of 18 August 2011.

#3. Australia's bishops give Reverend Father Peter Brock a new national role

In December 2010 the ACBC appointed Fr Peter Brock as the National Project Officer for the Year of Grace.

In September 2011 (according to a church website) "a National Planning Team was formed to work with Fr Peter Brock in the detailed preparation for the Year of Grace." The Year of Grace was to begin at Pentecost (in the second quarter of 2012). It would be "an opportunity for Catholics to come together with a renewed sense of grace and joy in their experience of the Church".

On 2 March 2012, the communications director of the ACBC in Canberra (Beth Doherty) issued a media statement, informing Australian media outlets about the Year of Grace.

The statement said that the national Project Officer, who was already working towards the "Year of Grace", is Fr Peter Brock.

The statement provided some quotes from Fr Peter Brock which the media could use.

The statement mentioned Fr Peter Brock's phone number [this is a number in Newcastle]. The statement invited the media outlets to contact Fr Brock at this number "for more information about the year of grace".

On 5 March 2012 the Cathnews website mentioned Fr Peter Brock's national role. Referring to another website (for the Year of Grace), Cathnews stated: "Project Officer for the Year of Grace Fr Peter Brock hopes that the site [i.e., the Year of Grace website] will become a hub for Catholics during the Year of Grace."

On 5 March 2012, the Year of Grace website listed (on its "Contact" page) only one contact person — Fr Peter Brock.