Group calls on Bishop to retract comments

By Adam Holmes
Bendigo Advertiser
September 19, 2014

http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2571941/group-to-protest-at-sacred-heart/?cs=80

A GROUP of parishioners from within the Sandhurst Diocese will hold a protest at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Sunday, angry at comments made by Bishop of Sandhurst Leslie Tomlinson.

The group will set up after Mass and look for signatures on a petition calling for the resignation of Cardinal George Pell.

The decision to protest in Bendigo came after Bishop Tomlinson described the Melbourne Response into child sex abuse as "groundbreaking" in a statement to the media earlier this month.

St Mary's of Mooroopna parishioner Catherine Dooley said it was a "completely inappropriate" comment and the Melbourne Response had not provided adequate comfort to victims.

"We have been very conscious of Cardinal Pell’s lack of compassion and justice in dealing with victims and their families," she said.

"So please Bishop Tomlinson stop the back slapping and stop the clerical propaganda."

Mrs Dooley said the response was not "groundbreaking", as similar support programs had been set up elsewhere in the world. She said the process had proved "intimidating" and "cold" for a number of people who raised concerns over child sex abuse.

The group of protesters have taken part in wider protests against Cardinal George Pell in the past, with a group recently paying to have a banner towed across Sydney in the sky calling for his resignation.

They also protested at the MCG last weekend and received almost 100 signatures in a one-hour period on the petition.

In a statement, Bishop Tomlinson repeated previous comments that the process had been humbling.

“I wish to reiterate that the Catholic Church remains humbled by its past failures in the handling of Child Sex Abuse, and remains committed to working in an open, transparent and compassionate manner to right past wrongs and to ensure these crimes are never committed again," he said.

“In the first instance, victims should contact the police and we stand ready to assist further through our Towards Healing program."

In an earlier statement, he said the Sandhurst Diocese remained "committed to assisting victims of this terrible crime".