The Royal Commission has been handed down today and with it came a number of key recommendations.

• Do not allow clergy who have interfered with children to be protected by the church
• If there are rules within a religious organisation, those laws have to be superseded by the laws of the land
• If priests are told about the sexual abuse of children in the confessional, they should have a duty of care to release that information to the public
• The vows of celibacy should change to be made voluntary

Someone who has been working with the community to ensure deep divisions are healed is Truth Justice and Healing Council CEO Francis Sullivan.

He joins Ross Greenwood to discuss these recommendations.

“I’m hoping very much you’ll hear from senior archbishops particularly, that they’re going to implement those findings and recommendations because that’s what we’re advising them to do.

“Even our own council in its submission to the royal commission made it clear that in some cases celibacy was a contributing factor to the abuse.

“You can’t deny it.

“I think this recommendation by the Royal Commision needs to be taken seriously.

“Australia has a huge debt to pay to the courageous people who have come forward their with their stories.”

Listen to the full interview below