Pell never heard 'bum buddies' term

NT News
February 29, 2016

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/breaking-news/pell-never-heard-bum-buddies-term/news-story/fb152fef348550130352e2ae67cb2661

Pell never heard 'bum buddies' term

The term "bum buddies" never came to the attention of Cardinal George Pell in reference to a Christian Brother who was later jailed for abusing 31 boys.

The Cardinal was answering questions about his time as a priest in the Ballarat East parish in Victoria from 1973 to 1994 when he was also the episcopal vicar for education in the diocese.

In a video link from Rome the Cardinal has repeatedly told the Royal commission into child sexual abuse that he could not recall detail of exactly who told him what about problems at the local Christian Brothers school, St Patrick's College.

He said he remembered being told of one brother who was kissing boys but said he never heard the 'bum buddies' term, which one witness, a former student at the school, has told the commission was used openly about boys who were abused by Brother Ted Dowlan.

Dr Pell agreed the term would certainly suggest sexual abuse.

The high-profile cleric was living at the presbytery with four or five other priests in Ballarat East at the time when concerns were raised by parents and some church workers about the behaviour of brothers at the St Alipius primary school and St Patrick's College.

The brother who was kissing boys was Brother Gerald Fitzgerald, who has since died.

Cardinal Pell said there was talk of the eccentricity of Br Fitzgerald.

It was common knowledge that he gave boys a kiss when he was leaving.

"The general idea was it was harmless enough," said Cardinal Pell.

He said it was discussed and mentioned to him by parish friends but "no-one said we should do anything about it."

The Cardinal said he had little to do with the Christian Brothers school because they ran their own operation.

His involvement in Ballarat East was mostly limited to saying three masses at the weekend. He was also studying at Monash.

He would attend speech nights at the school and that was the primary reason he has contact with the then principal.

Counsel for the commission Gail Furness, SC referred him to the evidence of Tim Green who at a previous hearing said it was common knowledge among the boys at St Patrick's that Dowlan was touching kids.

Cardinal Pell said that he did recall a St Patrick's boy talking to him about Br Dowlan but nothing of the nature of Mr Green's allegations came to his attention.

"Nothing as generalised or as gross (widespread) as that".

Cardinal Pell said he heard when Dowlan left the school but had no recollection of where he went.

When asked by Ms Furness if he drew the conclusion that Dowlan left because of sexual impropriety with minors, Cardinal Pell answered that he never knew the nature of what happened "whether they were indiscretions or crimes".