St Patrick's abuse allegations: Claims strike at heart of church

By Judy Courtin
Sydney Morning Herald
December 23, 2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/st-patricks-abuse-allegations-claims-date-to-time-church-was-supposedly-cleaning-up-its-act-20151223-glubxd.html

Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral. Photo by Pat Scala

Sano taskforce detectives are appealing for information in relation to allegations of child sexual assault of an unknown number of male victims who were 14 years of age at the time.

The alleged crimes were said to have occurred between 1996 and 2001. The location is peculiarly specific – St Patrick's Cathedral in East Melbourne – the cathedral of the archdiocese of Melbourne.

The police are asking for victims, or anyone with information, to come forward.

The dates here are noteworthy. In 1996 George Pell, then an auxiliary bishop, became the archbishop of Melbourne. Father Denis Hart, as he was then, became Monsignor Hart, the vicar-general (the forerunner to becoming a bishop).

There has been much evidence before the child abuse royal commission that 1996 marked the beginning of an era when the church took its obligations and responsibilities for clergy sex crimes and their cover-up much more seriously.

Church spokesmen have said this new era meant transparency, accountability, justice for victims and a new leadership showing integrity, courage and a commitment to authentic change, including ending the clerical culture that put the good name of the church before the needs and rights of victims.

This new wave of church leadership prompted Pell, in 1996, to establish the Melbourne Response – an internal complaints process which investigated complaints of clergy sexual abuse.

It was characterised as being a genuine attempt to both provide justice to victims and act against clergy offenders. (This has not turned out to be the case. As my research has found, not only has the Melbourne Response not provided justice to some victims, it has caused a new round of trauma and harm to many.)

The appeal from the Sano taskforce reportedly follows raids on several properties in Melbourne, including East Melbourne, where the archdiocesan offices are situated.

Search warrants for these raids were executed a few weeks ago, on December 2. On Thursday December 10, a letter was received by the royal commission requesting that Pell, for reasons of ill health, give video evidence to the commission instead of appearing in person as previously agreed.

Police are still investigating and no conclusions can be drawn from the above information. But it is significant that serious child sex crimes were allegedly committed in the very bosom, or sacred temple, of the archdiocese, St Patrick's Cathedral.

Further, these alleged sex crimes are said to have occurred at a time when, the public has been assured, the church's act was being cleaned up. And this was all under the reign of a man who then went on to become a cardinal and a key figure at the Vatican.