Australian Bishop Christopher Saunders Charged with Rape and Historical Sex Offences, Including Against Children

Australian bishop Christopher Saunders has been charged with rape and a string of historical sex offences – some against children.

The 74-year-old was arrested in Broome on Wednesday, following parallel investigations conducted by Western Australian police and the Pope.

Mr Saunders, who served as the Bishop of Broome, has indicated that he will plead not guilty to all charges against him.

Most Senior Catholic Cleric Facing Such Charges

Mr Saunders holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most senior Catholic clerics to face charges of this nature.

He stands accused of two counts of rape, 14 counts of unlawful and indecent assault, and three counts of indecently dealing with a child as a person in authority.

The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 2008 and 2014 in the remote Western Australian towns of Broome, Kununurra, and the Aboriginal community of Kalumburu.

Released on bail on Thursday, Mr Saunders has been ordered to reside at his home until his next hearing scheduled in June, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Except for the late Cardinal George Pell, who was previously jailed and subsequently acquitted, Mr Saunders is the highest-ranking Catholic official in the country to be charged with child sex offences.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference expressed their intention to fully cooperate with the police while acknowledging the seriousness and distressing nature of the allegations made against Mr Saunders

Lifetime of Service Across Remote Communities

Mr Saunders was first ordained in 1976 and has made a significant impact throughout his career in the remote Kimberley region in the north-west corner of Australia.

Appointed as the Bishop of Broome in 1996, his jurisdiction encompasses a massive area of approximately 770,000 square kilometers (297,000 square miles) – a land area similar to that of Turkey.

Aside from his clerical duties, Mr Saunders has been well-known for his socializing, community advocacy work, and for escorting young men on camping and fishing trips. He has been a powerful figure within the local community for many years, and has even had a beer named after him.

The allegations made against Mr Saunders first surfaced in 2020, but the initial police investigation that followed closed without any charges being filed.

In 2020, he voluntarily stood down as the Bishop of Broome but retains the title of emeritus bishop.

However, a subsequent historic inquiry, ordered by the Pope, prompted police to initiate a fresh investigation.

The Vos Estis Lux Mundi inquiry, named after the Latin phrase meaning “You Are the Light of the World,” was introduced in 2019 to address sexual abuse and take decisive action against bishops and other high-ranking officials within the Catholic Church. This investigation is one of the few to have taken place worldwide.