Gerald Francis Ridsdale and Bishop Bird

Bishop Bird: It has already had at least 130 abuse complaints substantiated, mostly against pedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale, according to Nine News Australia. Ballarat Bishop Paul Bird said the financial position of the diocese was not strong, and some of its parishes that are reasonably well off are subsidising "quite a lot" that need assistance. As many as 14 priests have been found to have abused children in the Victorian diocese. He said a finance committee had come to the conclusion that it could not really predict what financial liability the diocese faces for historical and current abuse claims."I do have doubts that we could meet those claims," he told the child sex abuse royal commission Ballarat inquiry."If the funds that we have at the moment are not going to be sufficient, it may be that I would have to ask for help from other dioceses."Bishop Bird said funds to settle claims of clergy sex abuse would come from Catholic Church Insurance if there was cover for that particular period. Bishop Bird said there is a central investment fund for the diocese which has more than $100 million. If not, it would come from a fund set up decades ago for that specific purpose that has about $1 million in it, he told the commission. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.