Priest Calls for Rally against Abuse

By Mandy Squires
Geelong Advertiser
November 17, 2012

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2012/11/17/354754_news.html

GEELONG priest Kevin Dillon says a public rally against the handling of Catholic Church abuse claims could help send a message to the church's leaders.

Ordinary Catholics should consider letting the "blind and deaf" church hierarchy know they do not agree with the way abuse claims have been handled and want a new way forward, Father Dillon of St Mary's Basilica said.

A rally would also show support to abuse victims, he said.

"Maybe what we need is a march up Bourke St like we had for Jill Meagher a few weeks ago, to say to church leaders we want a different approach," Father Dillon said.

"We want people who have been violated and had their lives ruined to be looked after and we're sick and tired of this business of being told how good it (the Catholic Church's own system for handling abuse claims) is, when it hasn't been able to produce one victim to actually say that."

Father Dillon said he welcomed news this week of a royal commission into institutional abuse.

The church should be doing far more than simply apologising to abuse victims, it should be begging for their forgiveness, he said.

"I think the royal commission may point out to a church which has been blind and deaf to a lot of obvious things, some of the things that it needs to do," Father Dillon said.

"But I think the restoring of faith in the church is a role for the church itself and the sooner we wake up to that and do it the better.

"Given the amount of denial there has been within the church, all of this needs to be pointed out from the wisdom of ordinary people.

"It's always been there but nobody has been prepared to listen, let alone do anything about it."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday called for a royal commission into child sexual abuse.

Ms Gillard said the inquiry would cover all religious organisations, schools, government bodies and non-profit groups.

It would also examine the response of institutions, children's services, police and the legal system, she said.

In response Australia's top Catholic priest Cardinal George Pell said many claims against the church had been exaggerated by the media or were ancient history, sparking outrage from some.

Father Dillon said members of the church community who did not approve of the way abuse victims had been treated should stand up and be counted.

"They can either walk away from the church saying 'this is not what I'm in it for' or they can say 'no, I'm going to hang in ... I'm going to do my best from within to ensure that it gets back on track'."