AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
December 7, 2013
Catherine Armitage
Senior Writer
The Pope’s decision to set up a council of experts and lay people to advise him how to stop the scourge of child sex abuse is based on Australia’s approach, leading Catholics say.
Cardinal George Pell “had a big influence on this, because the announcements from Rome certainly seem to replicate the approach we have taken here”, believes Francis Sullivan, head of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, established last year to lead the Australian Catholic church’s response to the child sex abuse Royal Commission.
Pope Francis took up the suggestion from his council of eight cardinals which includes George Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney. After they met in Rome this week, US Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, said at a Vatican media conference the new committee would look at how better to protect children in the church including screening checks for would-be priests, codes of professional conduct and co-operatiing with civil authorities to report crimes. The committee would work on pastoral aid for victims, their families and affected communities, including “mental health help”, Cardinal O’Malley said.
Mr Sullivan said the idea “echoed” the Truth, Justice and Healing Council’s use of experts who “give strong independent advice to place victims first and make it clear that the church can’t approach clerical sex abuse from a protective-defensive stance”.
“As a Catholic, it is shaming to hear that this went on,” said Melbourne military analyst Paul Sheehan, 36, a volunteer for Catholic Voices Australia. He said nothing could bring “true justice” to sex abuse victims who “still need as much help as we can give them” but “this is a step forward at the highest level”.
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