"Die Pell" : the Age Newspaper's Savage Facebook Post after Cardinal George Pell Was Linked to Paedophile Priest

Daily Mail
May 21, 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3090396/The-Age-posts-Die-Pell-status-Facebook-page-coverage-Cardinal-s-involvement-Australia-s-worst-paedophile-priest.html

One of Australia's biggest national newspapers is investigating how the offensive comment 'Die Pell' appeared on their Facebook page referring to the under-fire Cardinal George Pell.

On Wednesday the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse revealed documents showing that Cardinal Pell had helped move Australia’s worst paedophile priest, Gerald Francis Ridsdale, between parishes at the height of his reign of terror.

The Age newspaper in Melbourne became embroiled in the backlash to this when the words 'Die Pell' was published on its Facebook page, which has a following of 110,000.

This screenshot was sent anonymously to 3AW News Talk that showed a picture of Cardinal George Pell using The Age logo with the words: 'Die Pell' on it

Cardinal Pell helped move Australia’s worst paedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale to a new parish a Royal Commission stated

3AW News Talk reports that two separate sources confirmed with their presenter Neil Mitchell that a link to the newspaper's coverage of the Royal Commission was posted along with the words 'Die Pell'.

The newspaper is investigating how the offensive comment about Pell was published. Its editor Andrew Holden said the post was live for about one hour.

'We're trying to find (how it was posted),' Holden told 3AW's Mitchell.

'At this stage I assume it's a hacker, but I don't know absolutely.'

Ridsdale abused more than 50 children as he was moved between nine Victorian parishes over three decades

As well as this a screenshot was sent anonymously to 3AW that showed a picture of Pell using The Age logo with the words: 'Die Pell' and 'Royal Commission told Cardinal George Pell tried to buy victim's silence about abuse.'

Cardinal Pell, who is the former Archbishop of Melbourne and is now based in The Vatican where he oversees the Catholic Church’s finances, was involved in at least one decision to move pervert priest Ridsdale, the inquiry heard.

Then Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns knew Ridsdale had abused boys 'so he was taken out of there' and again moved to another parish, the abuse royal commission heard on the opening day of three weeks of hearings in the city devastated by decades of abuse.

Senior counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness SC said relocating Ridsdale from a Ballarat parish was discussed at a meeting of the bishop's advisers - the College of Consultors - in September 1982, where Cardinal Pell was present.

Cardinal Pell has repeatedly denied knowing that any children were abused in Ballarat parish when he was working there

Cardinal Pell supported Ridsdale at his first court appearance on child sex offences in 1993, but he has repeatedly denied knowing that any children at all were abused in Ballarat parish when he was working there.

Ridsdale was moved from Mortlake to Sydney's Catholic Enquiry Centre, with then Father Pell at a college meeting that allowed him to stay for a further year.

The vile priest abused more than 50 children as he was moved between nine Victorian parishes over three decades, and also abused an altar boy in Sydney.

Then Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns (pictured) knew Ridsdale had abused boys 'so he was taken out of there'