Cardinal George Pell says sorry for abuse by clergy and admits celibacy is a factor
Herald Sun au, 27 May 27, 2013
Cardinal George Pell, from the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, arrives to testify at the Victorian child abuse Inquiry in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart McEvoy Source: Herald Sun
AUSTRALIA'S most senior Catholic Cardinal George Pell has apologised for the sexual abuse that has occurred at the hands of clergy but has defended capped compensation arrangements.
Hundreds of victims, their relatives and members of the public packed two rooms to hear Cardinal Pell address the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Child Abuse for the first time.
Cardinal Pell conceded celibacy might have played a part in motivation for abuse but claimed there was "no moral obligation" in increase payouts to bring them in line with the US.
Cardinal Pell said he was "fully apologetic and absolutely sorry" for abuse by clergy and that would make up the basis of his evidence presented today.
When asked why there were so many incidents of abuse in the Catholic Church, Cardinal Pell said the celibacy of priests "might have been a factor in some cases".
When asked by committee member Frank Maguire whether the fear of a scandal led to a cover-up by the church, Cardinal Pell answered "yes it did".
Care Leavers Australia Network protesters outside State Parliament today. Picture: Mike Keating
He also said there was "some truth" in the suggestion a "systemic cover-up allowed paedophile priests to prey on children".
But he said larger compensation packages reaching into millions, similar to payouts in the US, would not be appropriate in most cases.
"We are always ready to pay what the law of the land says in terms of compensation," Cardinal Pell said.
He said he could only speak for the Sydney Archdiocese but would consider paying victims who had already received compensation more money if there was a good case.
"I don't believe we have a moral obligation to match the unusual figures of the United States," he said.
Despite this Cardinal Pell said for a long time the leadership of the church was not aware of the widespread mess they were sitting on because there was a culture of keeping accusations quiet.
He admitted moving paedophile priests around parishes allowed more children to become victims and in some cases the church's actions allowed abuse to happen.
Cardinal Pell said he did not personally cover up any offending.
He said he has received assurance from an official in the Vatican that all documents and files relating to child abuse in Australia would be made available to the Royal Commission.
Cardinal Pell said the church was aware of a problem with child abuse by 1988 and set up a rudimentary process to deal with complaints in 1992.
Father Bob Maguire arrives to listen to Cardinal George Pell, from the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, testify in front of the Victorian child abuse Inquiry in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart McEvoy
He said the full extent of the problem was not known at that time.
Cardinal Pell said there were 242 abuse complaints upheld from the 1970s, 82 from the 1980s and between 22 and 24 in the 1990s.
There had been fewer than 20 complaints upheld dating from 2000 onwards.
About 300 people received compensation through the Melbourne Response, which Cardinal Pell helped establish to deal with victims of child sexual abuse when he was the Archbishop of Melbourne.
"The incidents of this behaviour and crimes has significantly reduced so I pray, and I think it's reasonable, and I hope that the worst is behind us," Cardinal Pell said.
When discussing his support of convicted paedophile Gerald Ridsdale when he was facing court Cardinal Pell said he knew Ridsdale was accused of a significant number of offences but he did not know the detail.
He admitted Risdale did "some terrible damage" and he never intended to anger victims by appearing with Ridsdale at the time.
"I have always been on the side of the victims," Cardinal Pell said.
Earlier Care Leavers Australia Network co-founder Leonie Sheedy said she wanted to see Cardinal Pell show some "moral backbone" as her group staged a protest on the steps of Parliament this morning.
"What I would like is for George Pell to talk about the abuse that happened in Catholic orphanages and children's homes by the brothers, the nuns, the priests and the workers," she said.
"And I want him to say that he wants to repair the damage done and contribute to a reparations fund.
"But I expect that he'll have highly rehearsed answers from his spin doctors and I wonder who he will blame."
She said the protest would include a poster depicting Cardinal Pell with Ridsdale under the label "mates".
Father Bob Maguire said he was attending the inquiry for the church and the victims.
"I am not here to bash George (Pell) because we are in the same institution," Fr Maguire said.
"But it'd be nice if they all came in here having removed their gold crosses and things, sackcloth and ashes."
"It's not about what you say, it's your demeanour and your body language that makes a difference."
One man protesting ahead of Cardinal Pell's testimony said he was abused as a child and now rarely left his house.
He said the abuse he experienced at the hands of the Catholic Church robbed him of a childhood.
"All I want is an apology," he said.
"I am tired of drinking myself to sleep. I'm tired of the night sweats. I'm tired of the flashbacks.
"I can cope with what happened in Vietnam, just, but I haven't had a life. I never had a chance to be a child."
He said he found it difficult to be intimate or to show affection to his wife and children.
"I want him (Pell) and them (the Catholic Church) to say to me ... we are sorry."
To date, the committee has received more than 400 written submissions and heard from more than 160 witnesses since October.
Anthony Foster, whose two daughters were abused by Melbourne priest Kevin O'Donnell, had hoped such pressure would open cracks in Cardinal Pell's armour.
Mr Foster said his personal experience with Cardinal Pell had been typical of the reception his family had experienced from the church as a whole.
"What we have had in the past was the church controlling the information. Here we have a situation where they are going to be questioned by the Parliament of Victoria," he said.
"We experienced a total lack of empathy from him.
"What I'm expecting to hear are the same sort of excuses and platitudes"
Denis Napthine, Victoria's first Catholic Liberal Premier, had said it was time for Cardinal Pell to be frank.
- with AAP
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