Only paedophiles and sexual abusers would argue against the government’s call for a Royal Commission into institutional sexual abuse. Following the initial excitement of yet another Gillard, lousy performance diversion, this popular initiative to hunt down and deal with all wicked “priests” may have, at the outset, failed to foresee the complexities and the many byways to wrongdoing. The commission’s designing architects will quickly learn that sexual abuse is not the exclusive domain of the Catholic Church.
However, Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney did within hours of the commission announcement call a press conference to sing the government’s praise. In mounting his charge for glory to the church and government approbation, has placed his church in the front line of enquiry.
That no other institution or alleged sources of such abuse were mentioned or came forward—George Pell was the lone piper. Amidst what would certainly be no small amount of panic in the ecumenical catacombs of confidence, Cardinal Pell, like his namesake the Red Cardinal songbird, began to sing a tune not of contrition but perhaps more of relief. Will it be a welcome confession of truth, or the fear of uncontrolled consequences?
Nevertheless, George Pell is not noted for statesmanlike deliveries. In April this year he shocked the Executive Council of Australian Jewry with his remarks about Jews saying they were ‘intellectually lesser than the Egyptians, including Jesus Christ.’ Maybe in vino veritas hold true with church wine.
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