Church Agrees to Review Claim of Sexual Abuse, Joel Gibson and Erik Jensen, Sydney Morning Herald, July 11, 2008

Church Agrees to Review Claim of Sexual Abuse

By Joel Gibson and Erik Jensen
Sydney Morning Herald

July 11, 2008

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/abuse-victim-doubtful-but-open-to-talks/2008/07/10/1215658037559.html

THE Catholic Church agreed last night to reopen the case of an alleged sexual assault by a Sydney priest - two days after Cardinal George Pell admitted he had made mistakes in dealing with the allegation.

The investigation will examine claims that Anthony Jones was sexually assaulted by Father Terence Goodall in 1982, with new evidence suggesting the priest admitted to the attack despite a letter in which Cardinal Pell said it had been categorically denied.

George Pell … on the defensive.
Photo by Peter Morris

"Although the complaints of Mr Anthony Jones have been dealt with by the church, the criminal court and the civil court, out of consideration for Mr Jones, Cardinal George Pell has formally referred the matters raised this week to an independent consultative panel established under Towards Healing protocols," a statement from the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney said.

"The panel, which is chaired by retired NSW Supreme Court judge Bill Priestley, QC, has been asked to advise Cardinal Pell on the options open to him. It consists of prominent lay people … as well as a senior priest."

The investigation comes after a civil action last month, settled on condition Mr Jones would not seek compensation and would remain silent - the latter clause removed before it was signed.

Last night the Greens senator Christine Milne called on Cardinal Pell to consider resigning before World Youth Day.

"I think he should reflect on whether he is putting his own aspirations ahead of the church," she told the Herald.

"By holding on, the Pope is going to be flying into Sydney with the host cardinal in the middle of a scandal."

But the Liberal frontbencher and prominent Catholic Tony Abbott defended the cardinal yesterday, saying he had "a pretty good record" on conduct in the church.

Mr Jones has become the face of hundreds of abuse victims who want to use next week's papal visit to seek an apology from the Pope and expose what they say is the church's insensitive handling of sexual abuse.

Cardinal Pell has said he rejected Mr Jones's claim of sexual assault against Father Goodall because the priest told him in a private conversation that the encounter, in a Gymea presbytery in 1982, was consensual.

But he said he might reconsider after being told of a taped phone conversation in which Father Goodall said he had not claimed consent and apologised to Mr Jones.

Mr Jones said he remained "somewhat cynical" about whether Cardinal Pell would reconsider his position. The disability pensioner, who lives near Lismore, would not say how much compensation he was seeking.

"For me it's about justice, about a very sincere apology that they haven't been truthful."

Meanwhile, a barrister representing another clergy abuse victim, John Ellis, said Cardinal Pell and the church continued to show "absolute contempt" for his client and others.

Mr Ellis, a former partner at the law firm Baker & McKenzie, unsuccessfully sued the church for being abused from the ages of 13 to 18 by Father Aidan Duggan at Bass Hill.

Andrew Morrison, SC, said Mr Ellis had lost his high-paying job because of the legacy of the abuse and was now in financial and psychological limbo because the church would not say whether it intended to bankrupt him with an adverse costs order of more than $500,000.