AUSTRALIA
PerthNow
JOE SPAGNOLO
Political Editor
PerthNow
I AM embarrassed to be a Catholic. It is with a heavy heart that I feel moved to say that. I’ve worn a crucifix around my neck for most of my 51 years — a gift from my devout Catholic Italian grandparents when I was born.
I was baptised Catholic, attended a Catholic primary school at Brunswick Junction, I was an altar boy, and was married in a Catholic Church. My children were baptised Catholic.
But this week, as the eyes of the world focused on Australia’s most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell — as he gave evidence to Royal Commission on Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse via video link from Rome — I was underwhelmed by his actions, his words and his attitudes towards victims of crime.
I just wanted to see some sympathy from Pell. I wanted to see some empathy.
Instead, all I saw was a church leader who was quick to blame others, and quick to blame ignorance, for the atrocities committed against Catholics by the very men who were supposed to protect them — priests.
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