Breaking News From Down Under
I'll continue my right brain, left brain commentary tomorrow, but this is more important as it might be a glaring example of no brain.
Cardinal Pell misled abuse victim: ABC
July 7, 2008 - 11:02PM
Senior Catholic cleric George Pell allegedly misled a victim of sexual assault and sought to dismiss his complaint, according to documents obtained by ABC Television.
The allegation comes just days before the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI - and an expected 200,000 pilgrims - in Sydney for World Youth Day.
According to Monday night's ABC Lateline Program, Cardinal Pell, the head of the Catholic Church in Australia, gave misleading information to a sexual abuse victim in 2003.
The victim, Anthony Jones, claimed to have been abused by Catholic priest Terrence Goodall 20 years earlier.
In a letter obtained by the ABC, Cardinal Pell told Mr Jones the allegation had not been substantiated because the church had not received any other complaints against Father Goodall.
"No other complaint of attempted sexual assault has been received against Father Goodall," the letter allegedly said.
But another letter from Cardinal Pell, signed the same day and obtained by the ABC, was sent to a second man who also claimed to have been abused by Father Goodall.
In the second letter, Cardinal Pell told the man his complaint had been substantiated.
Mr Jones accused Cardinal Pell of getting it wrong.
"Cardinal Pell misrepresented the truth," he told ABC Television.
"I now hate Catholicism because of what Cardinal Pell has done to me, more so than what Father Goodall did to me."
Father Goodall was later convicted of indecent assault, according to the ABC.
The ABC said Cardinal Pell had not responded to a request to appear on the Lateline program or make a comment.
Cardinal Pell said the Pope was likely to apologise to victims of sexual abuse during his visit to Australia. The Pope will be in Sydney from July 15-20.
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I imagine admitting the legitimacy of the abuse claim for one victim and not the other might have been Pell's way of keeping more money in the Archdiocesan coffers. One less law suit. If that's true, it's only Karma that this be exposed one week before the start of WYD. If Pell really did believe the claim was unsubstantiated it might have done him a world of PR good to appear on the program instead of blowing them off. From reading comments from people who viewed the program, they all seemed to think that Anthony Jones came across as credible.
It appears Benedict XVI is going to have to do more than just apologize to sexual abuse victims in a general sense. He now has a very specific situation to deal with and the whole world will be watching, not just those 200,000 or so youthful pilgrims. I imagine the T-shirt police will have their work cut out for them.
I wonder if we'll see George Cardinal Pell promoted to Rome and transferred immediately just like Archbishop Burke. Good thing Benedict is going to take three days to acclimate to Australia before the big show gets off the ground. Gives him more time for a little damage control.
Speaking of that, I also learned that Benedict will be staying at an Opus Dei compound for those three days. I'm sure that in keeping with their codes of silence and secrecy, Benedict won't have to worry about 'leaks' and paparazi. It does appear that he will have to worry about this latest example of the pastoral abilitity of senior clergy in 'dealing' with abuse victims. Maybe the Holy Spirit will strike, and instead of meeting with Cardinal Pell, Benedict will decide it's time he listened to Bishop Robinson. That would be very right brained of him.
If I was Bishop Robinson I would be chuckling just a little right now. Maybe there really is such a thing as Karma.
Caption to photo should be,
ReplyDelete"Look at me, traipsing about the streets in my flaming red and lace robes! Pay no attention to embarrassing facts revealed about me. Be in awe of my Eminence and my splendor!"
Actually I wish I had photoshop and I would have taken the fancy clothes off.
ReplyDeleteColleen, you are a hoot!!!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly looks like no brain on the right and no brain on the left. Such a cute hat on his head, to keep the hot air from gushing out.
ReplyDeleteColleen, this is important news--glad you found and reported it. It boggles the mind that the men in the church most fervent about "saving" our youth seem to be the same men least fervent about telling the truth.
ReplyDeleteIt has been clear to me from the time of Benedict's election that he's closely tied to Pell. I think the choice of Sydney for WYD is deliberate. For that reason, I agree with you: good that this news came out before WYD gets underway.
As long as churchmen play the game of do as I say not as I do, how do they hope to retain the affiliation of youth with the church?
Apparently this is just casual dress for His Eminence. The photo seems to be taken on an ordinary street; others are casually dressed and going about their business.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the late Bishop of Providence, RI, Louis Gelineau, a reputed drag queen who traipsed about her own city at night, all decked out in women's garb. She was also said to be the belle of Provincetown.
Woops, there I go commiting mortal sin again, by causing "the public incitement of the faithful to animosity … toward the Apostolic See or an ordinary” (can. 1373).
Cardinal Pell - ah! poor chap. As one young child of my acquaintance said, " I think we ought to pray for people like that, don't you?"
ReplyDeletePell has responded and I will put his resonse up shortly. This is not the only story going on in Australia right now, there are three bishops in hot water over how they have handled sexual abuse issues. All of them given to Australia by JPII.
ReplyDeleteThree, hmmm, maybe this is the Holy Spirit at work. I'll keep praying someone listens----are you listening Benedict?
I just looked at the picture again. I dont think this is a casual dress. I think it is his evening gown. The gentleman in the background has white gloves and is holding the silk train.
ReplyDeleteEach time I look at the picture, it reminds me of the line from zorro the gay blade .... "he looks like a sissy boy!" (and a badly dressed sissy boy at that).
Colleen, you are so right ... anyone who would dress like that and go out in public cannot possibly be in his "right" mind. (or left either)
If the pharisees dressed this badly, no wonder Jesus made the comments he made.
Actually he's wearing a cappa magna and it's a photo from some German town that had a big to do about Pell saying a TLM. I think their also might have been a Eucharistic Pride Parade.
ReplyDelete