AUSTRALIA
Gympie Times
Colin Claridge | 19th Dec 2015
IT’S Christmas time. A time one prays for peace, happiness, joy and all good wishes to our fellow God’s creatures. However, there is sadly one creature who purports to be one of God’s most superior creatures who isn’t giving any presents to Australians this year. In fact, many of us were highly anticipating his arrival last week, only to be severely disappointed by his no-show.
We were expecting the appearance at the Royal Commission investigating Institutionalised Child Abuse of Cardinal George Pell. However, survivors have again been dealt a cruel blow and denied the opportunity of seeing this bloke grilled in a forum where he would be regarded as being no better than anybody else.
After the previous week, where we saw counsel for one institution accuse one survivor of “making it up”, we were hoping that the appearance of Pell would be a better week. Because let’s face it, accusing a survivor of abuse of “making it up” is an attitude that clearly points to why we are having this inquiry in the first place. Isn’t it? I’m actually dismayed that the Commissioner didn’t pull counsel up on that statement.
So, after we were hoping that it would be Pell to be the one being the subject of a grilling. Now, I must confess that I have never liked the bloke and it had nothing to do with his close personal friendship with a recently deposed PM. Deep in my heart, I have always had this gnawing feeling that there was something not quite right about that chap.
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