BishopAccountability.org

George Pell's royal commission quotes

9 News
February 29, 2016

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/02/29/15/55/george-pell-s-royal-commission-quotes

KEY MOMENTS AND QUOTES OF GEORGE PELL'S TESTIMONY

* "The way he was dealt with, that was a catastrophe. A catastrophe for the victims and a catastrophe for the church," Cardinal Pell said on the handling of pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale by Bishop Ronald Mulkearns.

* "I am not here to defend the indefensible. The church has made enormous mistakes, and is working to remedy those," Dr Pell when asked if there was a structural problem in the church.

There were one or two fleeting references to misbehaviour by Dowlan "which I concluded might have been pedophilic activity", Cardinal Pell in reply to a question about what he knew about Christian Brother Ted Dowlan.

* "I never knew the nature of these, whether they were indiscretions or crimes," on why Dowlan left the Ballarat parish.

* "Too many of them (complaints by children) certainly were dismissed and sometimes they were dismissed in scandalous circumstances," when asked if the attitude in the 70s was not to believe children.

* "At that stage the instinct was more to protect the institution of the church from shame. I am not sure at that stage there was too much concern about protecting assets". Explaining why such complaints were dismissed at the time.

* "I can't remember any such examples (complaints about inappropriate behaviour by teachers) but my memory may be playing me false. I don't have perfect recall". When asked whether as episcopal vicar of education in Ballarat any complaints came his way from the Catholic Education Office.




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