Former Christchurch priest John Gawith says the Catholic clergy sex-abuse scandal -- and official cover-up -- in the United States mirrors what occurred in New Zealand in the 1980s.
He left the priesthood in 1989, disillusioned with the church's conservatism and its reluctance to tackle sex-abuse problems. The culture among Catholic leaders at that time, as in the US, was to protect their own and transfer errant priests to other areas, Mr Gawith said.
He remembers at least three NZ cases where priests accused of sex abuse against children were reassigned to different parishes or schools.
https://www.peterellis.org.nz/church/2002/2002-0511_ThePress_USSexAbuse.htm
https://www.peterellis.org.nz/church/2002/2002-0511_ThePress_USSexAbuse.htm