Pope Could Land in Sex-abuse Row, The Standard, July 09, 2008

Pope Could Land in Sex-abuse Row

The Standard

July 09, 2008

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=17&art_id=68302&sid=19681454&con_type=1

The leader of the Catholic church in Australia yesterday denied trying to cover up allegations of sex abuse against a priest, just days before Pope Benedict visits for World Youth Day.

Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell acknowledged the scandal was an embarrassment ahead of the pope's trip, during which the pontiff is expected to apologize to victims of predatory priests.

Pope could land in sex-abuse row

But Pell defended his actions over sex abuse allegations against Terence Goodall, which he said had been investigated by the church and police and had resulted in the priest being stood down.

"There was no attempt at a cover- up," he said. "Both sets of allegations against Father Goodall were carried to their conclusions."

The cardinal admitted, however, that a letter he had written to Anthony Jones, who had accused Goodall of sexual abuse after a swimming session some 20 years earlier, was "badly worded and a mistake."

In the 2003 letter, obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corp, Pell told Jones that an internal report did not support his accusation of attempted aggravated sexual assault.

But the internal report, compiled by layman Howard Murray, had in fact accepted all Jones' allegations.

Pell also told Jones there were no other complaints against Goodall.

Yet in another letter obtained by ABC and dated the same day, Pell told a second man he accepted his claim that he had been indecently assaulted by Goodall as an altar boy when he was 10 or 11.

"My letter to Mr Jones was badly worded and a mistake," Pell said. "I was attempting to inform him that there was no other allegation of rape, and I overstated my agreement with Murray, who found all allegations sustained."

Pell said he would not step aside, adding that he hoped the case would not be an issue by the time the pope arrives in Sydney on Sunday ahead of the global celebration of Catholic youth.

Separately, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Louis in the United States has reached a settlement with six men who said they were molested by five priests as far back as the 1960s.

The six will be paid US$312,000 (HK$2.4 million), with individual settlements from US$20,000 to US$90,000, according to advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

On a separate religious note, the Church of England faces a serious split after its general synod voted to allow women bishops despite threats by more than 1,300 clergy they would quit over the issue.

The church's legislative body voted in York to press ahead with the ordination of women bishops and rejected the legal safeguards demanded by traditionalists. But there will be a statutory code of practice to accommodate parishes and clergy who object to women bishops.