A former Holy Spirit College priest has pleaded not guilty to the indecent assault of a student in 1988.
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Father Patrick Kervin, 58, fronted Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday charged with one count of indecent assault.
Police allege that while serving as chaplain at the Bellambi school in 1988, the Catholic priest, now living in Sydney, assaulted a 15-year-old boy.
The hearing has been adjourned to May 6 and Fr Kervin has been excused from attending if legally represented.
Fr Kervin celebrated 25 years of Marist priesthood in September, 2010.
He has taught at Lismore’s Woodlawn College and the Marist Regional College in Burnie, Tasmania, where he was principal for two years.
He later served in Rome and Washington before being appointed to St Patrick’s Church Hill in Sydney.
Shoalhaven police began investigating the priest in 2011.
He was arrested and charged on March 10.
At the time of his arrest, Catholic Diocese of Wollongong director of schools Peter Turner said he was ‘‘deeply saddened’’ to hear of an alleged historical assault in one of the region’s Catholic schools.
Fr Kervin’s bail has been continued.
