David Cappo
David Cappo AO is Vicar General of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide in South Australia.
As of 2011[update], Cappo, as Vicar General, is next in line to the current Bishop in South Australia, Philip Wilson.[1]
Early life
Cappo was born at Memorial Hospital in Adelaide, and educated at St Joseph's Primary School at Kingswood and at Rostrevor College.[2]
Career
David began his priesthood as the parish priest of Hectorville, South Australia, from 1996-2000.[3]
In 2002 Pope John Paul II appointed Cappo a Prelate of Honour, an appointment accompanied by the title of Monsignor.[3]
Cappo is also a qualified social worker and has filled various community advisory roles in that capacity.[1]
Cappo was appointed as Chair of the Social Inclusion Board in South Australia by Premier Mike Rann in 2002. In 2006 he was appointed as the Commissioner of the Board.[4]
In September 2011, Senator Nick Xenophon controversially used parliamentary privilege to accuse a South Australian Catholic priest of rape, in relation to events which were alleged to have occurred in the 1960s. Cappo and the Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson were accused of failing to properly investigate the allegations when made in 2007. All three men deny the Senator's claims. Xenophon decided to use parliamentary privilege after receiving an unsatisfactory response from the Church when advising them of his intentions and ultimatum. Cappo was set to take on a national role for mental health by Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Due to the claims, Cappo stepped down from the new position after just one week, as well as from the Social Inclusion Board.[5][6][7][8][9] Several days later, after high-level media coverage, Xenophon indicated he might not have used parliamentary privilege had he known the person he accused was about to take a period of leave.[10]
Notes
- ^ a b "Social Inclusion: Profiles". SocialInclusion.gov.au. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- ^ Painful journey to self-discovery: AdelaideNow 6 October 2006
- ^ a b "Vicar-General Monsignor David Cappo". Adelaide.Catholic.org.au. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
- ^ Commissioner for Social Inclusion: Government of SA
- ^ Xenophon speech puts parliamentary privilege in spotlight: ABC 7.30 report 15 September 2011
- ^ Xenophon overstepped the mark on parliamentary privilege: SMH 15 September 2011
- ^ Cappo steps down amid rape furore: SMH 15 September 2011
- ^ Nick Xenophon's defends his actions to name and shame a Catholic priest: AdelaideNow 17 September 2011
- ^ Cappo 'refused' to put claim to Rome: The Australian 17 September 2011
- ^ Xenophon defends naming SA priest: SMH 25 September 2011