George Pell made it clear that he was " Not here to defend the Indefensible " when he fronted the Child Abuse Royal Commission from a televised hearing in Rome. The man who was the Catholic church's most senior representative in Australia was about to be asked to explain why child sex abuse by that church's clergy had been covered up systematically, using protection of the church's good name as a shield.
This is not just an Australian problem, nor is it confined to just the Catholic church. The difference is that across the world a lot of lay people are serving time in prisons and being reviled as a person because they have been put before a court - and punished, but for a " Man of God " to receive similar punishment is distressingly rare !
George Pell admits that the child abuse question has been a " catastrophe " for the church, but as it's Australian leader a lot of victims looked to him for redress - and found little sympathy. The one thing that is abundantly clear is the lack of notification to the police whenever what is a serious crime is reported to church authorities.
Mostly the complaint was treated with disbelief, and in some cases the victims were punished. If the offending priest was causing ripples of unease in the congregation, the church usually moved that man to a different city or town, but took no action to protect the children now exposed to his new pastoral care. In a huge number of cases, such priests reoffended.
When members of the public took their complaint to the media the church either denied any wrongdoing or exerted pressure to cover it up. In some cases, money was offered with strict confidentiality clauses imposed. Pressure was applied to other Catholics to shield the church from criticism - and preserve it's good name rather that right a wrong ! The power of the church held sway over police and media and many claims went uninvestigated.
George Pell is between a rock and a hard place. Ill health has resulted in his evidence being taken by video conference from Rome, but he is under oath - and the world is waiting on his answers. At his age a certain amount of memory loss is to be expected but in some cases his evidence will involve still living people - and the secrecy of the confessional may apply. There are many so angry with the Catholic church that whatever Pell says will be misconstrued and rejected.
The purpose of this Child Abuse Royal Commission is to deal with the past and put a line under it. The outcome - whatever that is - will not satisfy everybody and many lives have been irrevocably changed by their abuse by priests. What is needed is clear dictum of how the matter of abuse by priests will be handled in the future - and so far that has not been forthcoming.
The church has the most open minded Pope in it's history. He is clearly not a slave to past dogma. He responded to the arrival of the Ziva virus which can have the outcome of retarded children by softening the church's stance on contraception. He hinted that in these circumstances using contraception would not be a " serious sin ".
What is needed is a clear an unequivocal command that in all and every instance where there is the suggestion of sex abuse by any priest or church worker, the matter will be instantly referred to the police - and no obstacles will be put in the way of that being carried out.
That is what those abused observing in Rome are hoping for !
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