Cardinal George Pell May Have Aided Cover-up of Australia’s Worst Paedophile, Royal Commission Hears
By Shannon Deery
CARDINAL George Pell may have unwittingly helped protect Australia’s worst paedophile priest by moving him between parishes and covering up his evil crimes, it had been alleged. In explosive allegations before the royal commission into sexual abuse this morning it was alleged the high-ranking Cardinal sat on a committee that protected notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale. Ridsdale, who has spent decades behind bars, has admitted molesting at least 54 victims but it has been estimated he molested more than 200 children while being shuffled around parishes. Cardinal Pell has persistently denied knowing the extent of offending by notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale before he controversially accompanied him to a court hearing in 1993. But the commission heard this morning he sat on a committee in September 1982 that considered Ridsdale’s offending when deciding to move him on. Counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness, SC, said the then Fr Pell was one of seven people at the meeting, including Ballarat bishop Ronald Mulkearns.
The minutes of the meeting noted Bishop Mulkearns as advising it had become necessary for Ridsdale to be moved from the Parish of Mortlake, with negotiations underway to move him to NSW. “The minutes do not disclose what the Bishop said about why it became necessary,” Ms Furness said. “However, as indicated earlier, it is expected that there will be evidence that Bishop Mulkearns knew it was because Ridsdale had abused boys in Mortlake, and that he had offended in this manner in 1975.” Ridsdale’s replacement, Fr Denis Denehy, later told Catholic Church Insurance he believed every male between 10 and 16 who was at the school had been molested by Ridsdale. Ridsdale was moved to the Catholic Enquiry Centre in Sydney with Bishop Mulkearns telling its director, Fr Fitzpatrick he had to be moved for “sexual matters”.
He also told him he had a problem with “little boys”. Bishop Mulkearns, who later admitted he knew a young boy had been living with Ridsdale in his presbytery, said various complaints had been made to him. A string of victims have launched legal action against the Bishop for failing to act on the complaints. Cardinal Pell, who now minds the Vatican finances, accompanied Ridsdale to court in 1993 sparking outrage from victims. “At that stage nobody knew, at least I certainly didn’t, the extent of what proved to be an infamous career,” he said later. “I knew there was a very significant number of offences, I didn’t know the details of those offences. I knew that Ridsdale was pleading guilty. His lawyer asked me to appear in court before him.” Cardinal Pell lived with Ridsdale in the early 1970s but claims he as not a close friend of his. The nature of their relationship is expected to be examined when Ridsdale gives evidence to the commission. Ridsdale will give evidence via videolink from jail during the three-week hearing which began today in Ballarat. Another Ballarat priest Paul David Ryan, who has been convicted of three charges of indecent assault against one victim in Victoria, gave evidence during a private hearing. There has been no evidence before the Commission that Cardinal Pell knew of Ridsdale’s offending. The transcript will be tendered to the public hearing.
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