Dillon Laments Church Inaction

By Danny Lannen
Geelong Advertiser
May 28, 2013

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2013/05/29/366016_news.html

Father Kevin Dillon.

VICTORIA'S parliamentary inquiry into institutional child abuse has concluded, with the Catholic Church remaining more concerned about fixing a situation than fixing people, according to Geelong priest Father Kevin Dillon.

The St Mary's parish priest said testimony by Catholic Cardinal George Pell at the final inquiry hearing "wasn't a step backwards" but didn't reach out enough in practical terms.

Cardinal Pell expressed full apology and absolute sorrow for past abuses and said fear of scandal led to cover-up by the church.

Fr Dillon, who attended the hearing in support of Geelong abuse victims, said religious leaders remained ignorant.

"That means that they don't know - I don't mean ignorant in the sense of stupidly ignorant," Fr Dillon said.

"In this area they cannot solve the problem because they haven't been able to define what it is, and that's because they haven't talked to the people right in the middle of it all.

"As a representative of the Church we ask for forgiveness and ... pledge to do everything that is necessary and that is within our power to help to give you your life back."

Fr Dillon said he would be interested to gauge findings if religious leaders were asked how many abuse victims they had listened to.

"How many have you sat down with in a place of their choice, with them in a comfortable position in their home or wherever they are comfortable, to talk?" Fr Dillon said.

"How many people have you spoken to and listened to their story, without lawyers, without a defensive attitude, just listened to the story?

"I reckon you'd be absolutely bowled over by the fact that the answer for most would be maybe one, maybe two, maybe none, and to me that's at the very heart of all this."

Fr Dillon, who appeared before the inquiry in Geelong in February, said he could not speak highly enough of the parliamentary committee's work.

"I'm just so grateful for the way they've done their job."

He emphasised focus on abuse victims remained paramount but said many people within religious orders had been hurting during the inquiry process.

"I think there are a lot of bewildered and totally demoralised priests and religious as we go through all of this," Fr Dillon said.