NORTH STRATHFIELD (AUSTRALIA)
Mercator.net
December 11, 2018
By Michael Cook
On May 22 the Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, was found guilty of failing to report allegations of child sexual abuse. He was the most senior Catholic cleric found guilty of concealing abuse and the news was reported around the world.
On July 3, Archbishop Wilson was sentenced to 12 months’ detention, with parole after six months. This eventually became home detention, which he began serving on August 14. This, too, was reported around the world.
Following the conviction in Newcastle Local Court before Magistrate Robert Stone, there were calls for the Archbishop to resign. Even then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a Catholic, stuck his oar in. “The time has come for the Pope to sack him,” he said. “There are many leaders that have called on him to resign, it is clear that he should resign.”
Powerful stuff from powerful people. Although Wilson wanted to stay on officially as Archbishop until his appeal had been heard, he yielded to the pressure and resigned. Pope Francis accepted it on July 30. The historic resignation was reported as far afield as the New York Times.
And then … acquittal
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