The Bishop of Parramatta, Vincent Long Van Nguyen, has told a royal commission he suffered sexual abuse by a member of the clergy after arriving in Australia as a refugee from Vietnam in 1981.

Bishop Long told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse he had enormous empathy for victims.

Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long Van Nguyen has told a royal commission the Catholic church needs reform. Credit:Nic Walker

"I was also a victim of sexual abuse by clergy when I first came to Australia, even though I was an adult," he said.

"That had a powerful impact on me and I want to walk in the shoes of other victims and endeavour to attain justice and dignity for them."