In Australia we are seeing an instant replay of what has been witnessed across the globe when scrutiny is focused on the Vatican orchestrated cover up of sex crimes against children and youths. The Church can say all it wants about celibacy not playing a role in the tidal wave of sex abuse, but but for the celibacy rule (i) many psychologically disturbed men would not have sought refuge behind the vows of holy orders and (ii) men with children of their own would never have tolerated the rampant abuse or the systematic top down directive to cover up abuse and shield predators. Not surprisingly, sex abuse victims are demanding the resignation of Cardinal Pell (pictured above), Australia's highest ranking member of the Australian Church hierarchy, after he admitted that the Church had covered up abuse. Press TV looks at the story. Here are highlights:
The victims on Tuesday called for the resignation of George Pell, the top-ranking cardinal in Australia, a day after he appeared before the Parliament of Victoria for an inquiry into the cases of pedophilia by priests in Victoria State.
Pell, an advisor to Pope Francis on Vatican reforms, admitted to the cover-up of a “horrendous widespread mess” regarding the sexual abuse scandal within the Catholic Church.
“I am fully apologetic, and absolutely sorry,” Pell told Victoria lawmakers on the final day of the inquiry.
However, the victims and their supporters have reacted to the issue, saying they were unimpressed with the apology.
Stephen Woods, one of the victims, slammed the remarks and said, “The little care for the victims that he showed, showed that they still don’t get it.” “He needs to resign. His era is finished,” Woods told reporters.
Last week, Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart told the inquiry that the church had been “slow to address the anguish of the victims and dealt with it very imperfectly.”
The Catholic Church has admitted that some 620 children as young as seven have been raped by priests only in Victoria State since the 1930s.
Another special commission of inquiry has also been formed in New South Wales to investigate similar allegations of abuse in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has set up a Royal Commission to probe how churches, government bodies and other organizations have dealt with cases of child sex abuse in the country.
The victims are right - Pell needs to resign as does almost all of the current Church hierarchy, including Pope Francis. They all participated in the cover ups or knew of them and did nothing to protect children. These are horrible men and as I have said before, no one with an ounce of morality in them should give them any deference. The belong behind bars as accessories to sex crimes against children and youth.
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