Pell Asks Priests to Quit St Johns Council

West Australian
November 6, 2012

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/15313608/pell-asks-priests-to-quit-st-johns-council/

AAP © Cardinal George Pell says he has lost confidence in the St Johns College council.

Cardinal George Pell says he has lost confidence in the St Johns College council at the University of Sydney and has asked priest members to resign following continued bad behaviour by students.

He says he will be asking the NSW government to review governance arrangements at the Catholic college and the need to amend outdated laws covering the institution.

Reports of loutish behaviour at the 150-year-old college have continued despite an incident in March that resulted in a female student being hospitalised.

The college suspended 33 students over the incident, in which male residents surrounded a girl and encouraged her to drink a toxic concoction as part of an initiation process.

In a statement on Tuesday, Cardinal Pell said he no longer had confidence in the capacity of the college council to ensure reform, "despite their good will and the dedication of the chairman".

"I have therefore requested the priest fellows of the council to resign.

"I will also be contacting the New South Wales government to discuss a review of existing governance arrangements and the need to amend the nineteenth century Act of Parliament, which is no longer adequate" Cardinal Pell said.

It's understood the six priests on the council sent in their resignations on Tuesday.

Cardinal Pell's office said he had spoken to the university vice-chancellor and the college council chairman about the problems.

There have been ongoing reports of widespread vandalism at the college and first-year students being forced into initiation rituals involving toxic drinks.

Professor Roslyn Arnold, formerly one of the 18 fellows who governed the college through its council, on Monday called for police to be brought in to stamp out the bad behaviour.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said the government will consider changing the laws governing the college.

"Given the reports of appalling behaviour at the college, I fully support his (Cardinal Pell's) efforts to change the culture there," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

"I will not allow the behaviour of a few to tarnish the global reputation of the University of Sydney."