His death follows a battle with cancer and a recent appearance before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses in Child Sexual Abuse. 

Despite that appearance, his death leaves many unanswered questions about his time as bishop for the Ballarat diocese which saw numerous paedophile priests moved across the region while abusing children. 

Ballarat Bishop Paul Bird released a statement on Monday afternoon saying those who knew him personally would remember a man dedicated in his service. 

“At the same time, Bishop Mulkearns himself acknowledged that he made some tragic mistakes during his time as bishop,” he said. “He expressed his sorrow for these mistakes in the evidence he gave to the Royal Commission in Feburary.

It was anticipated Bishop Mulkearns would finish his testimony at some point into the future. Bishop Mulkearns was at the helm of the diocese from 1971 until 1997. Speaking at the 2013 parliamentary inquiry focused on the problems, Bishop Bird said Mulkearns had made “tragic mistakes” in handling sexual abuse cases, including moving priests around the diocese. 

Bishop Bird’s predecessor Peter Connors also conceded Bishop Mulkearns had to accept responsibility for what had occurred.

Cardinal George Pell was similarly scathing of the decision making of Bishop Mulkearns and the continued abuse it caused. 

Bishop Mulkearns told the recent Royal Commission hearing  he was “terribly sorry” he did not take the mounting sexual abuse allegations about offending clergy seriously and admitted he did not know how to handle the situation. The inquiry repeatedly heard the former bishop received numerous complaints about paedophile priests over three decades but failed to act or notify police. Instead he moved the priests around western Victoria where they continued to offend.

 Truth, Justice and Healing chief executive Francis Sullivan said the news of the former bishop’s death was complex, adding that his handling of the clergy sex abuse matters was indefensible. 

“It will be a disappointment for the Royal Commission because it was obvious that he was in a position to give some more testimony,” he said.  However, Mr Sullivan said he was not sure how much new information the former bishop would have been able to provide,  given the memory problems which plagued much of the testimony. “He was trying hard to engage and remember, I don’t know if other information was there or not.”