I do not recall the ABC "serving the community" as avidly and with as much gleeful vigour when it comes to non-Catholic perverts. Don't kids deserve protection from all perverts, irrespective of their religion or lack of religion? The ABC is not in the business of 'serving' anybody but itself, and what its supporters and those people who have already condemned George Pell seem to forget is that the good old ABC has crudely prejudiced any prosecution case the could be brought against him. I don't believe Pell will be interviewed, charged, or ever see the inside of a court, thanks to the ABC. George Pells's reputation has already been ruined, but we will never know whether or not he deserves that punishment; any hack lawyer could put a very good argument that the man would not get justice after the ABC's malignant claims based on the allegations from 30 years ago. The ABC should stick to reporting arrests, charges, and court results, not trying to initiate them.

ttbn "I would stake my life on most Catholic priests being like most of us: decent people who abhor this disgusting practice."

Possibly but can you point to the place where Catholic leadership stood up against the abuse in a meaningful way while it was occurring but not public knowledge. The pattern of Catholic leadership seems to have been transferring offenders around to hide the problem, using church influence to stop offenders being prosecuted.

Perhaps there were heaps of bishops who handed the offenders over to the police and it's not made the media but the places where leadership was covering up abuse seem to be very widespread.

A couple of options in that. Either they are not like the rest of us and abhor the sexual abuse of children or their loyalty was to instructions from the Vatican on how to deal with said abuse (and the patterns of cover up seem remarkably similar). I suspect the latter but have not seen anybody admit to that one yet.

R0bert

It’s just as well you don’t have to, ttbn.

<<I would stake my life on most Catholic priests being like most of us: decent people who abhor this disgusting practice.>>

The more I hear about how rampant child sex abuse is in the Catholic Church, the more I wonder if their priests’ required vow of celibacy or their access to children makes the job attractive to those with unorthodox inclinations (as appears to also be the case with nuns and the Sisterhood). The fact that they're expected to remain celibate couldn't be helping the situation either.

I certainly wouldn’t be staking my life on such an assumption anymore. These accusations against Pell come as absolutely no surprise to me.

Yeah it was great Steelie wasn't it how the bbc turned a blind eye to Saville wasn't it. Not long ago one of you lefties claiming taking photo of young nude girls was art. Just so righteous aren't you Steelie.

We could always resurrect the 'Inquisition'. send down Pell, and I'm sure with a bit of good old fashioned persuasion, the inquisitors will have George singing like bird in no time. No need for the ABC when you have your very own 'Inquisition'.

Robert,

There is certainly no excuse for the for the cover-ups by bishops. They should be dealt with by courts as well. But, most of them and the offending priests are dead anyway, thanks to the cover-ups. I'm constantly advised that "not all Muslims are terrorists". All I am saying is not all Catholic priests are paedophiles. And I stick to my belief that the ABC's main game is pure hatred of Catholicism in particular, and Christianity in general.

AJ,

It has nothing to do with celibacy. The latest accused is an ex-Anglican priest who switched to the Catholics as a priest. He was already married before the change. Anglican priests who have offended against children are not celibate, nor are Salvationists celibate; neither have ofending atheist perverts been bound by celibacy. I am not a Catholic. I have no reason to defend Catholics. I see only the gross hypocrisy of certain people, and the ABC, cynically using the shocking crime of paedophilia as a platform for religion bashing. I find it bloody disgraceful! There is absolutely no evidence against George Pell, and you know that as well as I do. Trial by media and activists is not acceptable in Australia.