Peter Gogarty was abused by defrocked priest James Fletcher 40 years ago. Fletcher was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault against children and his actions were investigated by a royal commission into child abuse within the Catholic church.

Archbishop Gallagher, who Pope Francis appointed the Vatican’s foreign minister this week, claimed diplomatic immunity in 2013 and refused to give prosecutors documents that related to Fletcher and another disgraced priest Dennis McAlinden. 

Mr Gogarty told the Mercury he was not impressed with the appointment.

He said it appeared that the Catholic church had not only tolerated Archbishop Gallagher’s lack of co-operation in efforts to shine a light on institutional abuse, but had rewarded him for his actions. 

“Any reasonable person would think that behaviour was entirely out of step with Australian society,” Mr Gogarty said. “People like Archbishop Gallagher argue that the church is a nation state that doesn’t [need to] comply with Australian law.

“If someone said the headquarters of the Mormon Church was its own sovereign state, there would be uproar.”

Mr Gogarty said the Catholic church had contradicted itself by apologising for the child abuse that took place at the hands of its clergy, but refused to be transparent with prosecutors who were investigating the crimes of priests including Fletcher and McAlinden.

“The two men who stuck to that [Archbishop Gallagher and Cardinal George Pell] are now two of the most senior Catholics in the world,” he said.