huffnpuff/Michael

I absolutely agree with you that it's now time for Prime Minister Rudd to apologise to all victims who were raped and abused in the state run instituions of Australia. It's long overdue.

PM Howard failed and used the excuse that it was the States and churches that were responsible. What a weak leader he was when it came to questions of morality. The kids who were raped were Australian children but Howard wanted no part in showing the lead in redressing the wrongs that were done to this nation's institutionalised children.

So if Rudd fails us you have to ask the question, What's the point of winning power if you fail to use that power to put right the evil things that were done to Australian children?

Keep up the pressure Michael. We need people like you to make the ignorant knowledgeable, the spineless courageous and the uncaring caring.

Good Evening Everyone,

Thanks for all your responses - to date.
They're all greatly appreciated and
very valued.

I came across an interesting article
in, The Age, Saturday, July 19, 2008.
A2 - Culture And Life section, p. 23.

It's a review of a book by
Paul Collins, called, "Believers: Does
Australian Catholicism have a Future?"
UNSW Press, $34.95.

As Barney Zwartz, The Age religious editor
tells us, the book, "Asks the hard questions that
the hierarchy will not confront and the young
are too inexperienced to know or articulate.
Collins is an excellent commentator, very
well informed and a meticulous and detailed
researcher. He writes as an insider, with a good
knowledge of how the Church works, but also with a
measure of detachment."

We're told that Collins, "Has long been a leading spokesman
of the more progressive group of Australian Catholics
but has been marginalised by traditionalists who have
regained control in Rome and Australia since Vatican II.
What will make this book hard to ignore are the facts
and figures and concrete examples."

"The Australian Church cannot assume it will survive. Its
numerical heyday was before Vatican II, which brought
considerable change, but the traditionalists have been
winding that back for decades and new generations are
increasingly disconnected from the Church.

The sexual abuse crisis had weakened trust, and the priest
shortage is already dire."

I intend to get hold of a copy of the book.

As the article points out, "Catholicism has proved
infinitely adaptable over two millennia, only finding
energy to change often when things seemed dire."

I'm hoping that this will occur if enough pressure
is brought on.

The media driven frenzy aimed at the Pope in regards to sexual abuse was incredibly hypocritical. Why don't the ABC/SBS demand that the NSW Premier apologize on behalf of the abusers in his Government. Why does not one of our prominent Aboriginal leaders say sorry on behalf of the seismic sexual abuse done by many of their elders. Why does not all the State school teachers unions say sorry on behalf of many of the teachers who have committed sexual abuse. Why does not the SBS/ABC insist on their own CEO saying sorry for the kiddy fiddlers in their own ranks.

I am no fan of the pope or Catholic church but the media driven hate and bias on this issue was incredibly unbalanced. Then again our gay friendly ABC/SBS has not been balanced for a long time. I do hope that next time the earth worshipers have their next violent gathering that the ABC/SBS insist that Bob Brown gives a personal apology to all those people who have been abused among their ranks.

Runner you have got to the crux of the problem. The media have a lot to answer for. Politicians won't lift a finger while the heat is on the Catholic Church alone.

George adduced an exception to the reporting rule which shows just how much relevant information the supposedly in depth coverage of Lateline missed thus resulting in Pell being accused of a cover up. Naturally the pretend cover up guaranteed prolonged exclusive focus on the Catholic Church thus keeping victims like Michael who didn't experience Catholic clerical abuse in the cold.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24040493-7583,00.html

If more reporters went to that much trouble to uncover the truth abuse in governmental institutions would be heavily in the news and Rudd would be apologizing very quickly.

mjpb,

The sad part is that so many of those who see themselves as intellectual on OLO seem to get much of their information from these pathetically inadequate national broadcasters. I suppose it confirms what they want to hear. Some like Foxy to her credit seem genuinely concerned about those who were abused. Her emotions obviously cloud her thinking but her intentions appear genuine. Others however seem to somehow want their own actions justified by misrepresenting others.

Dear Runner and Mjpb,

The media covers what's currently making news.
World Youth Day, the Pope's arrival, Pilgrims
from all over the world - all this placed the
media emphasis on the Catholic Church.

But without this attention - would there have
been a Papal apology?

I believe that its thanks to media pressure
and emphasis that it happened. And I'm grateful
that it did.

But, I'm hoping that it won't stop there, and that
the apology will initiate change within the church
when it comes to dealing with victims of sexual abuse.

As for victims within Government Institutions, as
Michael (huffnpuff) knows, I've emailed the PM,
written to newspapers, emailed the ABC, and done
what I could. If all of us were to continue putting
pressure on our elected officials, perhaps someone,
somewhere, will eventually take notice.

We can only try. But with perseverance -
we may just succeed.
As someone once said,
"Even the snails made it onto the ark."

Perseverance brings results.