Church Is Keen to Protect Children and to Ensure the Horrors of the Past Are Not

By Cardinal George Pell
Sunday Telegraph
August 19, 2012

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/church-is-keen-to-protect-children-and-to-ensure-the-horrors-of-the-past-are-not-repeated/story-e6frezz0-1226453211312

[with pdf]

Last week the Sydney Archdiocese published a short document outlining what the Church does in Sydney to provide safety for children and how it now deals with allegations of sexual abuse of minors.

Sydney Archdiocese is committed to working within the Australia-wide protocol "Towards Healing" which was introduced in 1996 to tighten up procedures in the light of earlier mistakes.

Church leaders, like myself, have apologised many times to victims and families; and we mean it. These crimes, with their tragic toll on victims and their families, have brought shame and disgrace on the Church. This document outlines what we do today to avoid past errors.

Towards Healing was reviewed in 1999-2000 and 2008-09 and we are open to constructive suggestions for further improvement.

An independent committee chaired by a retired NSW Supreme Court judge advises me as archbishop on Towards Healing matters.

The law in NSW requires anyone who knows or believes that a serious crime has been committed and has information about it to report it to the police. Allegations of sexual assault of children must be reported also to the Ombudsman, who monitors investigations and outcomes concerning people who are working with children. State child protection legislation requires a criminal background check for those who work with children and young people, including priests. The Archdiocese complies with all these obligations.

If an accusation is made against a priest or church worker of the Sydney Archdiocese, the matter is referred to me as archbishop and I take advice from the Director of Professional Standards.

We encourage the complainant to report any criminal conduct to the police. If that is not their choice and if there is significant uncertainty about the facts of the case, I can instruct the Director of Professional Standards to appoint an independent expert investigator. As archbishop I do not participate in the independent investigation. The police and Ombudsman are informed by the Director of Professional Standards as required by the law.

As cardinal, I am not the head of the church in Australia. My authority is limited to the Archdiocese of Sydney. There is a division of responsibility in the Church. Each diocesan bishop supervises his own priests and church workers. The document can be obtained online at sydneycatholic.org.

Cardinal George Pell is the Archbishop of Sydney