Pell Urged to Be 'Open and Frank' at Child Sex Abuse Inquiry
Canberra Times
Australia's most senior Catholic has been urged to face up to child sex crimes committed by members of the church and to apologise when he fronts a parliamentary inquiry on Monday.
Cardinal George Pell will be the last witness to give evidence at Victoria's child sex abuse inquiry.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has called on him to be open and honest with the public about the church's handling of child sexual abuse within its ranks.
"It's time for George Pell, on behalf of the Catholic Church, to be open and frank, not only with the inquiry but with the people of Victoria and Australia," Dr Napthine said on Sunday.
"I think he should be fully apologetic, should be absolutely sorry about what has occurred in the Catholic Church and some of the actions of the Catholic Church."
Co-founder of the Care Leavers Australia Network Leonie Sheedy said she wanted Cardinal Pell to face up to crimes committed against children by members of the Catholic church.
CLAN will protest outside parliament before Cardinal Pell appears as a witness, she says. The protest will include a poster depicting him in a photo with paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale labelled "mates".
Victims' father Anthony Foster hopes pressure like this will open cracks in Cardinal Pell's armour.
"George Pell is going to be in a very different environment ... and I think that is what [Melbourne Archbishop Denis] Hart came up against last week," Mr Foster said.
"What we have had in the past was the church controlling the information. Here we have a situation where they are going to be questioned by the parliament of Victoria.
"He is not able to refuse to answer them."
Mr Foster's two daughters were raped by Melbourne priest Kevin O'Donnell while they were in primary school.
He said his personal experience with Cardinal Pell, current Sydney Archbishop and former Archbishop of Melbourne, had been typical of the reception his family has experienced from the church as a whole.
"We experienced a total lack of empathy from him," Mr Foster said.
Archbishop Hart appeared before the inquiry last Monday and admitted that abuses had been covered up by the church.
He laid the blame at the feet of deceased former Melbourne archbishop Sir Thomas Francis "Frank" Little.
Mr Foster fears Cardinal Pell will do the same.
"What I'm expecting to hear are the same sort of excuses and platitudes that we have heard from previous members of hierarchy of the Catholic Church," Mr Foster said.
"We heard Hart try and put all the blame on Archbishop Little."
Judy Courtin, a PhD student studying sexual assault in the Catholic Church, agrees.
"He will be basically trying to avoid any personal prosecutions ... both civil and perhaps criminal," Ms Courtin said.
"Priority number two will be continuing to try and protect the church broadly.
"He will do that by saying Frank Little was responsible for everything."
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