Cardinal Pell

[kengillard]

Slippery Little Sucker!.....the buck doesn't stop at me!!!!

[colic2bullsgirlore]

She asked Cardinal Pell if he would be prepared to issue the same strong statement.

“Will you publicly denounce both the former Archbishop of Melbourne Frank Little and the former Bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns for harbouring paedophiles, knowing they were abusing children?”

Ms Coote asked.

Cardinal Pell said the situation in Ireland was not the same as Australia.

“The gravity of dereliction there is not the same as here,”

Cardinal Pell said.

However, he said he would take Ms Coote’s question on notice but also stated he did not understand some of Bishop Mulkearns’ actions, including destroying documentation about child sex abuse cases and moving paedophile priests around parishes.

He said he believed the actions of both Archbishop Little and Bishop Mulkearns were aimed at protecting the church from scandal.

Cardinal Pell said it was a mistake to accompany disgraced paedophile Gerald Ridsdale to Melbourne Magistrates Court 20 years ago to face 30 child abuse charges.

“Twenty years ago I knew there were a significant number of offences but I didn’t know the details of the offences,”

he said.

He said Ridsdale’s lawyer asked if he would walk to court with him and he said yes. 

Cardinal Pell also said he was not a close friend of Ridsdale.

abject lack to duty of care IMO

[silverfaun]

I watched some of it. I felt it was a witch hunt, some of the inquisitionist questions were some he wouldn't have an answer to so I  thought he answered with dignity.

He can't be held to blame for all the historical abuse that happened  & this inquisition is doing that. I felt the audience who laughed & jeered were way out of line & should have been removed, the one's who removed themselves had more dignity.

I felt uneasy about the way he was questioned & imagined someone else in a different inquiry would feel that too.

[azureline**]

I still haven't watched it. I probably won't get time for a few days.

Witch hunt? maybe..... Pell is not accused of doing anything except covering up and I think the media need to remember that. There is no definitive evidence that proves he has done this, so for now, I believe he is being truthful. ( it is inconceivable to me that he isn't being truthful. (atm)

[cherples]

I still haven't watched it. I probably won't get time for a few days.

Witch hunt? maybe..... Pell is not accused of doing anything except covering up and I think the media need to remember that. There is no definitive evidence that proves he has done this, so for now, I believe he is being truthful. ( it is inconceivable to me that he isn't being truthful. (atm)

He did admit to the cover ups.  He said they feared losing too much money.

[azureline**]

as I said I haven't watched it yet, but I intend to.

[azureline**]

Oh, sorry, was it this?

GEORGE Pell has admitted that senior figures in the Catholic Church in Australia had covered up child sex abuse, with devastating consequences for the victims, but he denied a "culture of abuse" existed.

He has not admitted that he covered it up though?

It is very disrespectful to the victims to suggest it is just a witch hunt... that concept bothers me.

As to the victim's compensation being raised higher, I have always maintained that it should not be about the $ amount. How does money make it right? I have close connections to some who have received $ in compensation, nothing has changed for them, not the payment of $ or the apologies or the gaol sentences the perpetrator received.

The bitterness and the messed up lives remain.

[izabsmiling]

If I had 'covered up' child abuse...I would consider myself almost as bad if not worse than those who abuse.I would and should know and do better

[izabsmiling]

I agree with Az that the term witch hunt seems insulting to the victims 

[azureline**]

If I had 'covered up' child abuse...I would consider myself almost as bad if not worse than those who abuse.I would and should know and do better

any reasonable person would, however, has Pell said he covered it up?

[izabsmiling]

 it is inconceivable to me that he isn't being truthful.

I think that's been the problem in the past (in other cases)