George Pell and the Abuse Royal Commission

SBS
May 21, 2015

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/05/21/george-pell-and-abuse-royal-commission

Ballart-born Pell, now the Vatican's finance chief, was a priest in the Ballarat East parish from 1973 to 1983 and Episcopal Vicar for Education in the Ballarat Diocese from 1973 to 1984.

He presided over St Alipius primary school where four Christian Brothers were pedophiles and lived in a presbytery with Father Gerald Francis Ridsdale who was abusing boys at the school.

ALLEGATION HE ATTEMPTED TO BRIBE A VICTIM

Ridsdale's nephew, David Ridsdale, said he told Cardinal Pell in 1993 he was abused by his uncle.

Mr Ridsdale told the commission Cardinal Pell, a family friend, asked him: "I want to know what it will take to keep you quiet."

PELL SAYS:

"I was and remain extremely sympathetic to David Ridsdale who because of his uncle suffered horrible abuse. I continue to regret the misunderstanding between us.

"At no time did I attempt to bribe David Ridsdale or his family or offer any financial inducements for him to be silent.

"At the time of our discussion the police were already aware of allegations against Gerald Ridsdale and were investigating. Then, and now, I supported these police investigations."

ALLEGATION HE DISMISSED A VICTIM'S COMPLAINT

Timothy Green, 53, says when he was 12 or 13 he told Pell that Brother Edward Dowlan was abusing boys at Ballarat's St Patrick's College in 1974.

"Father Pell said `don't be ridiculous' and walked out.

"His reaction gave me the impression that he knew about Brother Dowlan but couldn't or wouldn't do anything about it."

PELL SAYS:

"While out of the greatest respect for Mr Green, as I have stated previously, I have no recollection of a conversation with Mr Green in 1974, more than 40 years ago.

"To the best of my belief, this conversation did not happen."

CLAIMS HE WAS COMPLICIT IN MOVING RIDSDALE FROM MORTLAKE PARISH

Senior counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness SC said Pell was at a 1982 meeting of the College of Consultors which discussed moving Ridsdale from the Mortlake parish.

"There will be evidence that Bishop (Ronald) Mulkearns knew it was because Ridsdale had abused boys in Mortlake, and that he had offended in this manner in 1975," Ms Furness said.

PELL SAYS:

"I never moved Ridsdale out of Mortlake Parish. I never moved him anywhere.

"I would never have condoned or participated in a decision to transfer Ridsdale in the knowledge that he had abused children, and I did not do so.

"My recollection is that Bishop Mulkearns did not raise any pedophilia allegations against Ridsdale at the Consultors meetings I attended, or at any time before or after such meetings."

VICTIM BAQ

BAQ said then Father Pell and Bishop Mulkearns must have known about the abuse at St Alipius.

"If children from other totally separate primary schools in the area knew what was going on at St Alipius, I cannot accept that Bishop Mulkearns or Father Pell didn't know what was happening.

"It is inconceivable that they didn't know."

VICTIM PAUL TATCHELL

"The buck has to stop somewhere and in Australia it's George Pell.

"He may not have the intestinal fortitude or the ability to see beyond his own vanity but it's his ambition that got him there (the Vatican) and it will take his humility to get him out of there.

"Time will tell if George can find an ounce of the courage, an ounce of the courage, you'll bear witness to throughout these proceedings.

"You cannot seek atonement when you're still in denial."

VICTIM STEPHEN WOODS

"George Pell's legacy is disgusting. He had the ability to help victims and he didn't."