Australian Church to resume investigation into former Bishop Saunders after abuse conviction

The Catholic Church will resume its investigation into the former bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders, who was found guilty of abusing young men. Saunders, 76, awaits a decision from the Vatican on his future in the Church, since only the pope can appoint or laicize a bishop.

An Australian court convicted him on August 20, 2026 of one count of sexual penetration and 12 counts of indecent assault, offenses committed during his roughly 25 years as bishop of Broome, in Western Australia. He was acquitted of six charges, and another seven were dismissed.

Saunders did not testify at the trial, but jurors heard recordings of his police interviews in which he denied the allegations. His lawyer, Tony Hager, said in his opening statement that his client rejected the sexual allegations.

The Australian Church's response

The president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, called Saunders' crimes a betrayal of the principles of the Gospel and of the Catholic Church. Australia's bishops joined the bishop of Broome, Tim Norton, in apologizing to the victims and said they deeply regretted the pain and shame the victims have suffered.

Costelloe also acknowledged the courage of the victims and witnesses, and the work of the Western Australia Police Force, which opened its investigation into Saunders in 2018. Further allegations followed in 2020 over the misuse of church funds.

Timeline of the investigation

Police closed the investigation without charges in 2021, the same year Saunders left his post as bishop. The Church then opened its own inquiry and sent a report to the Vatican alleging abuse of young Indigenous people. Police reopened the case and arrested Saunders in 2024.

Vatican decision pending

With the trial over, Costelloe said the Church's investigation could resume. "Decisions about the position of the former bishop of Broome in the Church will be determined by Rome," he said. He said Church authorities had cooperated fully with police throughout.

Costelloe said it was important to follow clear protocols in investigations involving Church leaders, with complaints against bishops and other senior officials handled by independent bodies to avoid possible bias. He said it was essential to suspend Church investigations temporarily while police inquiries are under way so as not to compromise them.

"The intention has always been to allow the allegations against the former bishop to be handled objectively, transparently and independently of the Church," Costelloe added. He said he was disheartened and humbled to acknowledge that the Church in Australia continues to face such failures. He warned that the sexual abuse crisis should not be treated as a thing of the past and that vigilance is still needed in protecting the most vulnerable.