{{short description|Australian Catholic prelate (born 1950)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific_prefix = The Most Reverend | title = Bishop of Broome | enthroned = | church = {{ubl | Catholic Church | Latin Church }} | diocese = Broome | appointed = 3 November 1995 | term_end = 21 August 2021 | predecessor = John Jobst | successor = {{lang|la|Sede vacante}}{{efn|Michael Henry Morrissey, apostolic administrator<ref name="vatican.28.08.2021"/>}} | other_post = Bishop emeritus of Broome (2021{{nbnd}}present) <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 28 August 1976 | ordained_by = John Jobst | consecration = 8 February 1996 | consecrated_by = John Jobst, Justin Bianchini, Edmund Collins | laicized = <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = Christopher Alan Saunders | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|1|15|df=y}} | birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | previous_post = | alma_mater = Saint Paul University | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Christopher Alan Saunders.svg }} '''Christopher Alan Saunders''' (born 15 January 1950) is an Australian prelate of the Catholic Church who was the bishop of the Latin Church diocese of Broome from 1996 to 2021, when he resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
On 21 February 2024, Saunders was charged with rape, as well as other sex offences, after a long running investigation by Australian police.
==Life and career== Christopher Saunders was born on 15 January 1950. He studied at St Bede's College in Mentone, Victoria, and then studied philosophy for three years with the Columban Fathers. Having developed an interest in Aboriginal affairs, he was accepted by the Diocese of Broome and continued his studies in theology at St Francis Xavier Seminary in Adelaide. He worked as a deacon in Broome in 1975 and was ordained a priest of that diocese on 28 August 1976. His assignments took him to La Grange Mission (1976–1978), Lombadina Mission (1978–1982) and Kalumburu Mission (1982–1988). From 1989 to 1995 he was administrator of Broome, interrupted by two years of study for a licentiate in canon law at Saint Paul's Pontifical University in Ottawa, Canada.<ref>{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210118192720/http://broomediocese.org/biography/ | archive-date= 18 January 2021 | url-status= live |url=http://broomediocese.org/biography/ |title=Bishop Christopher Saunders |website=Diocese of Broome | access-date = 29 August 2021}}</ref>
Saunders was named bishop of Broome, Australia, on 3 November 1995 and consecrated a bishop on 8 February 1996.
== Investigation into sex offenses == The initial complaint of sexual abuse was filed in 2018, but the investigation was still open in 2020 without any charges.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bringing Down a Bishop: The Sins of Christopher Saunders |work=7NEWS Spotlight |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijF892FqV6g&t=418s |date=15 March 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
A journalistic investigation was aired about the alleged sex offenses and financial misconduct in Australia in 2020.
=== Stepping down === On 9 March 2020, Saunders voluntarily stood aside from the administration of the diocese after the Vatican ordered a review of the diocese. Church authorities did not indicate any connection between that investigation and the news that Western Australian Police had been investigating an allegation of sexual misconduct made against him 18 months earlier.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parke |first1=Erin |last2=Tomlin |first2=Sam |last3=Collins |first3=Ben |title=Catholic Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders voluntarily steps down amid investigation into allegation of sexual misconduct |access-date=28 August 2021 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-11/bishop-broome-christopher-saunders-stands-down-amid-police-probe/11715090 |work=ABC News |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828204246/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-11/bishop-broome-christopher-saunders-stands-down-amid-police-probe/11715090 |url-status=live}}</ref> Peter Ingham, Bishop emeritus of Wollongong, has been tasked with the church's investigation into Saunders' management, including financial affairs and handling allegations of sexual misconduct by priests.<ref name=parke2/> The church had received complaints about Saunders as early as April 2019 and tried to evaluate them while preventing their repetition and without alerting Saunders.<ref name=parke/> On 27 November 2020, Saunders agreed to take a six-months leave "outside the Diocese",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-29/bishop-of-broome-to-leave-diocese-for-six-months/12931830 |title=Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders to leave diocese for six months amid police and Vatican investigations |first1=Sam |last1=Tomlin |work=ABC News |date=28 November 2020 |accessdate=29 November 2020|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128212547/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-29/bishop-of-broome-to-leave-diocese-for-six-months/12931830|url-status=live}}</ref> where his continued performance in public as a priest has provoked complaints.<ref name=parke>{{cite news |access-date=29 August 2021 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-04/concerns-raised-over-ongoing-broome-bishop-investigation/12420234 |date=3 July 2020 |title=Documents reveal church stayed quiet on sexual misconduct allegations against Broome Bishop for almost a year |first1=Erin |last1=Parke |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222112258/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-04/concerns-raised-over-ongoing-broome-bishop-investigation/12420234 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In May 2021, government officials decided not to file criminal charges.<ref name=parke2>{{cite news |access-date=29 August 2021 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-19/no-prosecution-of-broome-bishop-over-sex-misconduct-allegations/100146206 |title=Catholic Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders will not be prosecuted over allegations of sexual misconduct |date=19 May 2021 |first1=Erin |last1=Parke |work=ABC News |archive-date=29 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829003728/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-19/no-prosecution-of-broome-bishop-over-sex-misconduct-allegations/100146206 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pope Francis accepted his resignation as Bishop of Broome on 28 August 2021.<ref name="vatican.28.08.2021">{{cite press release |publisher=Holy See Press Office |access-date=28 August 2021 |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/08/28/210828b.html |title=Resignations and Appointments, 28.08.2021 |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828103853/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/08/28/210828b.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |access-date=29 August 2021 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/pope-replaces-australian-bishop-in-alleged-misconduct-probe/2021/08/28/0591afe4-07f3-11ec-b3c4-c462b1edcfc8_story.html |date=28 August 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Pope replaces Australian bishop in alleged misconduct probe |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222112308/https://www.washingtonpost.com/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== {{lang|la|Vos estis lux mundi}} inquiry === The Vatican ordered a {{lang|la|Vos estis lux mundi}} inquiry into the allegations, it was started in September 2022 and concluded in April 2023. The report was leaked and concluded that Saunders likely sexually assaulted four youths while potentially grooming another 67.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://7news.com.au/news/wa/one-of-australias-most-powerful-catholic-figures-likely-sexually-assaulted-four-youths-vatican-report-alleges-c-11942253 |title= One of Australia’s most powerful Catholic figures likely sexually assaulted four youths, Vatican report alleges |first1=Sam |last1=Tomlin |work=Seven News |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=30 March 2024 |archive-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921073632/https://7news.com.au/news/wa/one-of-australias-most-powerful-catholic-figures-likely-sexually-assaulted-four-youths-vatican-report-alleges-c-11942253 |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Arrest === On 21 February 2024, Saunders was arrested at his home in Broome by police and charged for 19 offences, including rape, with some of the charges for acts he was alleged to have committed against children. The charges dated back to 2008 and his arrest followed years of sex abuse denials by Saunders.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 February 2024 |title=Former Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders faces 19 charges |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-21/bishop-christopher-saunders-arrested-charged/103325358 |access-date=21 February 2024 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222013126/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-21/bishop-christopher-saunders-arrested-charged/103325358 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 February 2024 |title=Australian bishop Christopher Saunders charged with rape |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68366178 |work=BBC News |access-date=21 February 2024 |language=en-GB |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222102440/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68366178 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Notes == {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{wikiquote-inline|Christopher Alan Saunders}} * {{wikicommons-inline}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Christopher}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Religious leaders from Melbourne Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia Category:Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals in Australia Category:Australian expatriates in Canada Category:Australian prisoners and detainees Category:Prisoners and detainees of Western Australia Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Broome Category:People educated at St Bede's College (Mentone) Category:Saint Paul University alumni