A LETTER of apology addressed to sexual abuse victims who have suffered at the hands of Catholic priests was handed out during Mass at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Castlemaine yesterday.The letter was issued to all parishes in the Melbourne archdiocese which includes Castlemaine and Kyneton.The handout follows a speech by the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, during a Mass in which he condemned the sexual outrages and breaches of vows committed by some priests as bringing shame upon the entire church.“How can we Catholics not be shocked and shamed?” Archbishop Hart asked.He said that in the past 14 years about 300 people had been compensated as victims of sexual abuse within the archdiocese. Archbishop Hart said most of the attacks took place decades ago.“We have sought to do everything in our power to bring these victims aid, consolation and, if possible, reconciliation with the church,” he said.“They have been giv-en access to compen-sation, ongoing counsell-ing and medical support.“As Archbishop of Melbourne, I once again express my deep sorrow and offer a sincere and unreserved apology to all victims of sexual abuse, and to their families.”Archibishop Hart encouraged victims to report any cases to the police, saying 86 offenders have been identified over an 80-year period — 60 of them were priests within the Melbourne archdiocese.He said that since 1996, the church had introduced measures, known as the Melbourne Response, to protect parishioners and children against sexual abuse.He said there was rigorous screening of all people who aspire to the priesthood and seminarians are required to undertake study of the church’s code of conduct for priests.“We cannot completely set right the wrongs of the past and take away the anguish of victims of abuse and their families,” he said.“Nevertheless, I believe the Melbourne Response goes a long way towards addressing compassionately the issue of sexual abuse in the Melbourne archdiocese.”