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Priest in sex abuse claim
by Liam Houlihan, religio
Herald Sun & Weekly Times
December 21 2004
TWO sexual misconduct complaints have been lodged against Australia's highest profile Anglican priest.
The Rev Father James Murray, religious affairs editor for The Australian newspaper, has been accused by two former students of groping and "far worse".
The accusations have been formally lodged with the professional standards unit of the Melbourne and Sydney diocese of the Anglican Church.
Father Murray has confirmed two complaints of a sexual nature were lodged against him.
The alleged incidents are claimed to have happened about 47 years ago at a Melbourne Anglican secondary school for boys.
Contacted by the Herald Sun last night, Father Murray, 77, said he was loath to comment without legal advice.
He said he did not recognise the names of the complainants and that over time he'd had a lot of operations and lost a lot of memory.
"Forty-seven years is a long time ago," he said.
One of Father Murray's accusers, a Melbourne-based stage actor in his 60s, who did not wish to be named, said he was 17 and in his final year of school when the incidents took place.
He said Father Murray was a priest in training and the school's religion and music teacher.
"The perpetrator is one James Sterling Murray.
"(The alleged conduct) occurred outside my parents' house after he gave me a lift home from school," the man said.
"He made comments and suggestions of a sexual nature. The next thing his hands working up my leg. I have no doubt that what followed was a grope. It was a sexual overture.
"I hit him and said don't be so stupid James, and he apologised profusely and said we should meet the next day and pray about it."
The man said when he met Father Murray the next day, Father Murray behaved as if he did not know what the boy was talking about.
The man said the other complainant was at the same school but was younger. He would disclose only that the other complaint involved conduct "far worse" than what allegedly happened to him.
He said he believed the other complaint involved an incident that occurred at a school camp.
"There are others but I'm the first to come forward," the man said.
He said he was still an Anglican "but a very confused one".
The late gay writer Peter Blazey in his autobiography accused Father Murray of molesting him.
It is believed professional standards unit director Phillip Gerber asked Father Murray to hand in his credentials but the request was refused.
Father Murray yesterday denied such a request had been made.
Mr Gerber was unable to be contacted.
END
