The Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, Jeremy Greaves, has issued an apology to Beth Heinrich, a victim of child sexual abuse perpetrated by a priest. Greaves stated that the church failed Heinrich both as a child and when she later sought help. He specifically mentioned that former Archbishop Peter Hollingworth and other senior leaders in the Brisbane diocese failed to respond with compassion, justice, and accountability.
Archbishop Greaves acknowledged that the church "failed Heinrich both as a child and when she later sought help," specifically citing failures of former Archbishop Peter Hollingworth and other senior leaders.
Decades of Abuse and Denial: The Beth Heinrich Case
Beth Heinrich, now 86, was sexually abused as a teenager by Reverend Donald Shearman in Forbes, New South Wales, during the 1950s. She was a minor under Shearman's care at an Anglican-run boarding house at the time of the abuse.
In 1995, Ms. Heinrich sought assistance from then-Archbishop of Brisbane, Dr. Peter Hollingworth, to have Shearman removed from the clergy. Dr. Hollingworth denied this request, despite having overseen mediation where Mr. Shearman admitted to abusing Ms. Heinrich.
In 2002, while serving as Governor-General, Dr. Hollingworth was questioned about his actions concerning Mr. Shearman. He controversially suggested that Ms. Heinrich, 15 at the time, had instigated the relationship. Dr. Hollingworth resigned as Governor-General in 2003 following church findings regarding his handling of child sexual abuse cases.
A 2023 Anglican Church inquiry subsequently found he committed misconduct by allowing paedophile priests, including Mr. Shearman, to continue working as Archbishop in the 1990s. Dr. Hollingworth accepted these findings, stating he "made mistakes" but "committed no crimes." Reverend Shearman was defrocked in 2004.
Archbishop Greaves Delivers Formal Apology
Archbishop Greaves apologized to Ms. Heinrich during a Sunday service, acknowledging the additional harm caused by the church's delayed response.
"On behalf of the Diocese of Brisbane, I apologise to you for the abuse you suffered, and for the distress, isolation and harm caused by our failure to respond with integrity and care when you sought help."
Victim Finds Closure, Hopes for Others
Ms. Heinrich, who traveled from regional Victoria for the service, indicated that this apology brings an end to her years of struggle with the church. She expressed hope that her experience would inspire other victims to seek justice.
Ms. Heinrich noted that Archbishop Greaves is the first church leader who "appears to believe me," emphasizing the profound pain of being disbelieved by senior church officials for so long.