Police are investigating multiple allegations of child abuse against Australia’s most senior Catholic cleric, Cardinal George Pell. The investigating team has been examining complaints and allegations in Ballarat, Torquey and Melbourne for more than a year, including when Pell was Archbishop of Melbourne in the 1990s. The complaints allege that he exposed himself to children in change rooms and fondled children’s genitals in a swimming pool in Ballarat.
Pell emphatically denies the allegations. “If there was any credibility in any of these claims, they would have been pursued by the Royal Commission by now.” Why he thinks that way is unclear. Cardinal Pell was given an appointment at the Vatican and may never return to Australia to face charges.
Cathy Kezelman, president of advocacy group Blue Knot Foundation, said the allegations were “significant” given Cardinal Pell’s influence over the Catholic Church’s response to sexual abuse. “Allegations that he himself may have been [a] perpetrator of abuse are highly concerning,” Dr. Kezelman said. “The bottom line is that no one is above the law,” she added.
Perhaps Pell is above the law. He was appointed to the Vatican by Pope Francis just before concerns about his involvement in protecting priests who were involved in child abuse arose.
Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart said Cardinal Pell deserved to go through the “usual lawful processes without being compromised or sensationalised by the media.” While that is true, the chances of that happening are virtually nil now that Pell is at the Vatican.
“The history of the Vatican sending clergy back to countries where such allegations have been raised hasn’t been real good,” said Peter Fox, a whistleblower and former NSW Police Detective who helped spark the royal commission into child abuse.
The allegations have now been referred by Victoria Police to the Office of Public Prosecutions for advice, the ABC reports.
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, Babylon THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:4, 5.
“Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive no of her plagues, Revelation 18:4.