The Story of Abuse, Cover-up and Arrogance in the Catholic Church

By Martin Hirst
Independent Australia
July 7, 2017

https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/cardinal-the-story-of-abuse-cover-up-and-arrogance-in-the-catholic-church,10480

A Prince of the Roman Curia is facing serious charges relating to historic child sex offences — but the Doc can’t talk about that. Instead he has reviewed a recent book after stumbling on a copy left on his doorstep in a brown paper bag.

AFTER READING Louise Milligan’s book, Cardinal: The rise and fall of George Pell, I can only thank God that I was brought up atheist and not Catholic. I bought my copy a week ago and read it over a few days. It was hard going in parts, but worth it. I have been following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, but did not retain all the details. Now they are seared into my mind.

I live in Victoria, where it is no longer possible to purchase a copy of Cardinal which only went on sale in mid-May. When news broke that George Pell was to be charged with historical child sex offences, the publisher, Melbourne University Press, voluntarily withdrew the book in Victoria, lest it prejudice any future legal proceedings.

Withdrawing a book from sale is a serious matter. And judging whether or not the existence of the book, or the fact that people might read it and talk about it, might be a form of sub judice contempt – prejudging matters before the court or advocating a particular position on the question of guilty/not guilty – is a difficult task for anyone.