Part two of a Commission of Inquiry into the alleged cover-up of child sexual abuse by the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has heard a senior member of the church knew Father Denis McAlinden had abused children and excused it as "unusual but not extremely serious".
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In her opening address to the special commission, senior counsel assisting the inquiry Julia Lonergan SC, said Monsignor Patrick Cotter received confessions from McAlinden that he inappropriately touched girls as young as seven-years-old.
The Monsignor recommended McAlinden undergo treatment but he was moved from the parish where the abuse occurred and continued to offend the Hunter.
The special commission heard McAlinden sexually abused children in Maitland and Newcastle over four decades.
Part two of the special commission is examining whether the church hindered and obstructed police investigations into historic sexual abuse by failing to report offences; discouraging witnesses to go to police and destroying evidence.
Commissioner Margaret Cunneen SC told a packed gallery the inquiry had extended 70 summonses to 35 people and had received more than 100,000 pages in documents.
Bishop William Wright will take the witness box this morning.
