Church's Failure to Address Paedophile Priests "Shameful', Says George Pell

The Guardian
November 25, 2015

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/nov/26/churchs-failure-to-address-paedophile-priests-shameful-says-george-pell

Cardinal George Pell says church leaders failed to address the conduct of abusers such as Father Peter Searson. Photograph: Paul Miller/AAP

Cardinal George Pell says the Catholic church’s failure to deal with Melbourne’s paedophile priests was shameful.

Pell, now the Vatican’s financial chief, said church leaders had failed to address the conduct of abusers such as Father Peter Searson, but he has again defended his own handling of abuse complaints.

One of Searson’s victims, Julie Stewart, criticised Pell on the ABC’s 7.30 program on Wednesday for telling a Victorian inquiry there “might be” victims of the priest – who was never convicted of a sex offence, despite being charged with unlawful assault of an altar boy in 1997 and pleading guilty.

Years earlier, Pell had apologised to her for the abuse.

Pell was moved by Stewart’s courage and openness in giving evidence to the child abuse royal commission, a statement from the Vatican said.

“There is no inconsistency between the evidence provided by the Cardinal at the Victorian parliamentary inquiry and apology provided by Cardinal Pell to Ms Stewart,” the statement said.

“The failure of church leaders to address the conduct of Peter Searson and other abusers is shameful and as the evidence at the Victorian parliamentary inquiry illustrates, was one of the main reasons why the cardinal moved so swiftly to establish the Melbourne Response.”

Pell set up the Melbourne Response to handle abuse complaints in the archdiocese when he became Melbourne archbishop in 1996.

Stewart received $25,000 in compensation from the church and an apology from the archbishop in 1998 after being indecently assaulted by Searson during confession in 1985.

Pell told the Victorian inquiry two police investigations into Searson were inconclusive and the Catholic Education Office was never able to pin anything on him.

He was asked about victims’ views that the church’s stance during the period was “hear no evil, see no evil”.

“I think that is an objectionable suggestion, with no foundation in the truth,” he said. “No conviction was recorded for Searson on sexual misbehaviour. There might be victims.”

In a media interview, Stewart said that response had prompted her to go to the royal commission.

“I was absolutely so angry … and I thought, ‘Let’s get ’em,’” she told the ABC.