AUSTRALIA
ABC News
The Catholic Church’s failure to deal with Melbourne paedophile priests is shameful, Cardinal George Pell has said in a statement from the Vatican.
Cardinal Pell, now the Vatican’s financial chief, said church leaders had failed to address the conduct of abusers such as Father Peter Searson but had again defended his handling of abuse complaints.
Father Searson, who died in 2009, was never convicted of a sex offence.
One of his victims, Julie Stewart, criticised Cardinal Pell for telling a Victorian inquiry there may have been victims of Father Searson, after years earlier apologising to her for the abuse.
When questioned in 2013 by Victorian MP Frank McGuire, Cardinal Pell defended his actions in relation to Father Searson.
“No conviction was recorded for Searson on sexual misbehaviour. There might be victims,” the official transcript said.
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