AUSTRALIA
The Australian
DAN BOX THE AUSTRALIAN OCTOBER 25, 2013
A LAW professor who has worked closely with senior Catholic Church officials to review their response to child abuse by priests says some of its current leaders are “rotten apples” who need to be removed.
The University of Sydney’s Professor Patrick Parkinson, who gave last night’s annual Smith Lecture in Sydney, was recently cited by the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, as a leading authority who twice reviewed the church’s Towards Healing protocols on child sexual abuse.
“There remain a few rotten apples in the church’s fruit bowl, and they have yet to be called to account. Those who still apparently fail to understand their civic obligations as citizens of Australia in terms of co-operation with the police. Those whose greatest concern would appear to be to protect their organisation from scandal rather than the children in their care,” he said.
Professor Parkinson, who has publicly withdrawn his support from the church’s National Committee for Professional Standards over its handling of his 2010 review, said many within the church have acted honestly and with compassion.
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