‘Dark shadow’ recalled at ex-governor-general’s funeral
The family of a former governor-general who resigned over his handling of child sexual abuse in the Anglican church reflects the shadow of his final years.
Peter Hollingworth served as Archbishop of Brisbane for more than a decade before being appointed governor general in 2001.
He fell to his death on May 19, aged 91, and was paid farewell at a funeral ceremony at Christ Church in Melbourne’s South Yarra on Friday.
Friends, former colleagues and family, Dr. It paid tribute to Hollingworth’s years of service as a clergyman, social welfare advocate and organizer.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner and former prime minister John Howard attended the funeral.
Delivering a eulogy on behalf of the family, Deborah Hollingworth touched on the “long shadow” that cast over her father’s final years.
Appointed governor general by Mr Howard in 2001, Dr Hollingworth used his position to advocate for Indigenous rights and disadvantaged people.
But his tenure was short-lived, and he resigned from the position in less than two years while handling complaints of child sexual abuse in the Anglican church.
“He has become the public face and lightning rod for institutional failures to prevent and address child sexual abuse,” Ms Hollingworth said.
“Like us, he carried this burden heavily.”
Ms Hollingworth said this situation damaged not only her public reputation but also the reputation of the church she represented.
“He knew that he was among the bad guys in the public eye, and this knowledge deeply saddened him,” he said.
“Yet he understood how and why it happened.
“He also knew that there was a dark shadow over the church he served and was affiliated with.”
Born in Adelaide in 1935, Dr Hollingworth later grew up in Melbourne and studied theology at the University of Melbourne.
He studied under the late Anglican priest Gerard Kennedy Tucker, who inspired his move into front-line social work.
He was appointed priest of the Anglican Church of Australia in 1960 before joining the Fellowship of St Laurence.
Founded by his college mentor, Dr. Hollingworth served the outreach organization for 25 years, including as executive director.
The father of three was consecrated Inner City Bishop of Melbourne in 1985 and was elected Archbishop of Brisbane four years later.
In 2003, a board of inquiry into the handling of sexual abuse complaints in the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, Dr. It found Hollingworth failed to act on knowledge of the abuse.
He allowed two priests, Donald Shearman and John Elliot, to remain in the church even though he knew they were sexually assaulting children.
A church investigation in 2023 found he committed misconduct by allowing pedophiles to remain in the church, but said he remained fit for ministry.
Dr Hollingworth accepted the findings of the inquiry, saying he had “made mistakes and I can’t take them back” but said he had not committed any offence.
Mrs. Hollingworth, Dr. He said Hollingworth continued his community work after leaving office, but was forever changed by the constant public scrutiny.
“When he returned to Melbourne he was like a battle-wounded, shell-shocked soldier, not at all the same man who left in 1990,” he said.
“Successive public inquiries in Brisbane, each covering the same four matters involving him, have produced negative results.
“In his later years he lived in the shadow of the successive investigations and the enduring pain he knew surrounded them.”
He announced in 2023 that he would no longer work as an Anglican priest to “end the distress” of the survivors.
After suffering a series of strokes that same year, Dr Hollingworth went to live in an aged care home in Melbourne’s inner suburb of Malvern.
Dr Hollingworth wrote a number of leading texts on poverty and social welfare and was named Australian of the Year in 1991.
It was expected that he would be bid farewell with a private funeral following Friday’s ceremony.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Resolution Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Child Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Australia’s Associated Press is the beating heart of Australian news. AAP is Australia’s only independent national news channel and has been providing accurate, reliable and fast-paced news content to the media industry, government and corporate sector for 85 years. We inform Australia.
