Church Must Confess It All

Herald Sun
May 21, 2013

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/church-must-confess-it-all/story-fni0ffsx-1226647203915

WHEN Archbishop Denis Hart replied "better late than never" after being asked why the Catholic Church had taken 18 years to defrock a paedophile priest, there was what might be called a disbelieving silence.

A moment's reflection might have allowed Archbishop Hart to reconsider what was at least offensive and at worst suggested his own attitude to child sex abuse might need to change.

"Better never" such crimes were committed.

As reported in the Herald Sun, the Archbishop was being questioned over the case of Father Desmond Gannon, who was jailed in 2009 for having molested an altar boy on several occasions between 1968 and 1969. Accusations had been made against the priest in the late 1980s, but no request had been made to Rome to have him defrocked until 2012.

Archbishop Hart's response that reporting the paedophile priest was hampered because the priest had been sent to jail and because of changes to church law do little to explain what the church's critics regard as a cover-up.

In its written submission to the inquiry, the Catholic Church admitted 600 cases of criminal child abuse over the past 16 years.

The question, which will be repeated when the national inquiry into child sex abuse gets under way, is why has it taken so long for the church to act against its own?

Archbishop Hart rejects any assertion that the church put its own reputation above the suffering of its victims.

Yesterday, he said part of the problem was because "these awful offenders are cunning and devious and secretive".

All that is undoubtedly true, but why did the church not act when it knew of wrongdoing?

Instead of going to the police, the church moved offending priests to other dioceses, where they often continued their abuse of the innocent.

It is difficult to overstate the failures of the Catholic Church and other churches and institutions to report the abusers and, while Archbishop Hart says it is better late than never, that will do little to comfort victims and their families.

The church should have acted immediately and that can be said without the benefit of hindsight.

Archbishop Hart is to be followed at the inquiry by the former archbishop of Melbourne and now Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell.

The cardinal is the Catholic Church's most senior prelate in Australia and has been criticised of failing to acknowledge the enormity of the crimes against children and young men by some priests and brothers, and the delays in moving against them.

Cardinal Pell's evidence will be listened to carefully by supporters and detractors alike.

Taking the pledge

KEEPING a safe distance between Tony Abbott's Budget reply and Peta Credlin's drink-driving offence could be one of the reasons it took four days for the public to hear about it.

Ms Credlin, who is married to Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane, accepted that she had made a mistake, Mr Abbott said yesterday.

But it should not have happened and we should have been told sooner. Mr Abbott showed discipline in presenting his Budget reply and his advisers need to get with the program. Ms Credlin has a high profile in Mr Abbott's office and must insist on the highest standards for herself and other members of staff.

Police said Ms Credlin had a "low-range reading" when she was randomly tested after driving home on Thursday night. But this is not the point.

Mr Abbott made a pledge to abolish the carbon tax and his staff should consider taking a pledge at least until September 14.