In May this year, Newcastle Court Magistrate Robert Stone found Philip Wilson guilty during a landmark magistrate-only trial of failing to go to police to report the repeated abuse of two altar boys by Father James Fletcher.
Fletcher was found guilty of child sexual abuse in 2004 and died in jail of a stroke in 2006.
On Tuesday, Stone allowed Wilson to serve his detention at home after an assessment by prison authorities due to a range of health issues, including heart disease.
The 67-year-old was ordered to begin serving his sentence in New South Wales state and would be eligible for parole in February 2019, the court said. Wilson showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down.
Australian Broadcasting Corp. Television showed Wilson being driven away from the court in Newcastle, about 170km north of Sydney. It said he would be staying at his sister's house.
Stone ordered that Wilson be detained there for at least six months under strict supervision and would have to wear a tracking device.
Outside court, Wilson was confronted by Peter Gogarty - one of Fletcher's victims.
He repeatedly asked the clergyman if he would apologise as he was led to a waiting car, but was ignored.
"I'm beside myself about this," Mr Gogarty told reporters. "I'm still here, still hurting ... and not a single, solitary word to say sorry."
Gogarty said Wilson's home detention was too lenient, labelling it a six-month "holiday" at his sister's home.
The magistrate found Wilson had shown no remorse or contrition for the cover-up and his primary motive had been to protect the Catholic Church.
Stone accepted that Wilson was unlikely to re-offend but had to serve a period of detention to act as a deterrence to others.
He said given Wilson's age, mental and physical conditions, and the fact he had previously been of good character, a home detention order was an adequate punishment.
Wilson resigned as archbishop of Adelaide in July this year, two months after being convicted. He has said he planned to appeal against his conviction.
He wanted to hold on to the position until he completed his appeal but came under pressure from Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, fellow clerics and abuse victims to quit.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the country's top Catholic body that Wilson once led, had no immediate comment on his sentencing to home detention.
- Reuters and AAP
