Witness Summaries 

Bishop Patrick Dunn 

Bishop Dunn was appointed the Bishop of Auckland in 1994. At the time of the hearing he was the 11th Bishop of Auckland, and had held this role for 27 years. Prior to being appointed as the Bishop, he did pastoral work with the Catholic Māori Mission and in various parishes within Auckland. He also held roles as the diocesan Director of Vocations, and as the personal assistant to the Bishop of Auckland. His resignation as Bishop of Auckland was accepted in 2021. Bishop Dunn is now retired and known as the Emeritus Bishop of Auckland. 

Bishop Stephen Lowe 

At the time of the hearing Bishop Lowe was the twelfth Bishop of Auckland and the Apostolic Administrator of Hamilton until the Pope appoints a new bishop for the Hamilton diocese. He was appointed on 17 December 2021 and installed on 19 February 2022. Bishop Lowe was ordained a priest on 7 June 1996 in Hokitika for the Diocese of Christchurch. He has completed a Licenciate in Spiritual Theology in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He has also held roles as the director of formation at the National Seminary, Holy Cross College and the second Bishop of Hamilton. 

Cardinal John Dew 

At the time of the hearing Cardinal Dew was the Archbishop of Wellington and the Metropolitan of New Zealand. John was ordained a priest in 1976 and served in various roles within the Archdiocese of Wellington between 1976 and 2004. In 2005, he was appointed as the Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan Archbishop of New Zealand. He was appointed to Cardinal in 2015. At the time of the hearing Cardinal Dew was also the President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference. 

Dr Paul Flanagan  

At the time of the hearing Dr Flanagan was a Member of the National Safeguarding and Professional Standards Committee (NSPSC). He had served on the NSPSC since 2017 and is the second longest serving member of that Committee. Dr Flanagan was also a senior lecturer in a postgraduate counsellor education programme. He was previously a senior counsellor at the Parentline Child Advocacy agency in Hamilton until 2007, and a therapist with Specialist Services of Child Youth & Family until 2003. He was a Guidance Counsellor at Ngaruawahia High School from 1996 until 1999. Dr Flanagan has been a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors since 1997. As a counsellor, he worked with children and young people who were survivors of family violence and sexual harm, including ACC counselling. As a counsellor educator, he works with masters’ level students from across Aotearoa New Zealand working in counselling practices within schools and community agencies. Dr Flanagan was also an ordained priest from 1986 to 1994. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology, a masters in Counselling, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education –  analysing the effects of adults’ language about sexuality for children. 

Sister Sue France  

At the time of the hearing Sister France was the Congregation Leader of Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand. Sue is a vowed Sister and was in her third year of a five-year term of office as the Congregation Leader of Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand. She is also one of the religious congregation members on Te Rōpū Tautoko.