Dear Big Nana,

Pell has a history of child abuse going
way back - to the days when he was a
Seminarian. It wasn't just one
witness who has come forward -
there were many who are no longer around.

The fact remains the jurors found the man
guilty. They believed the complainant in
this case. I believe in the jury system.
It may not be perfect - but it's all we've got.
Lets wait and see what his appeal will do. We
need to go through the legal process.

Philip S.,

Regarding your claims about the Cardinal's
robes - they do have slits that allow access to
the trouser pockets. Pell's lawyer confirmed that.

Seminarian
Foxy,
that word's a little close to the subject :-)

It may not be perfect - but it's all we've got.
Foxy,
Yet they expect us to be perfect !

Yuyutsu,

Bottled altar wine is just wine, it is not consecrated until the Consecration in the Mass, after that it is consumed by the Priest and the Communicants (if Communion is in both forms, rather rare in Catholicism in Australia), any that is not used is locked in the Tabernacle on the altar. As it is the practice in Australia to consecrate only sufficient for the priest then rarely is any consecrated wine on the premises.

As an altar boy, I swigged my fair share of altar wine and it wasn't a particularly good drop.
When I was molested (in a mild way) I told my father (as written earlier) and he knew full well that altar boys had a taste of the wine as did the priest.

"Neither you or I, nor anyone else in this forum, I believe, would have told our parents under the circumstances, since they would then also find out that we committed the great crime of desecrating the blood-of-Christ"

There was no desecration so your supposition is invalid.

Foxy,

Have a look at Yuyutsu's link, seems that the sacristy was 'a hive of activity' after mass and that Pell was not using the Archbishops Sanctuary.

“Pell has a history of child abuse going way back”

Where is the evidence for that claim, Little Miss Libel? 'Witnesses' 'coming forward'? What do you call a witness? Someone who actually saw Pell committing acts that you allege? A victim of of these alleged acts? Or just someone who makes up stories that can be neither proved or disproved? Hearsay, in other words.

If you were anybody other than an anonymous trouble-maker cackling away at a keyboard, you would find yourself in court, Foxy, answering for your wild, unsubstantiated accusations. The delight that you and Paul 1405 are getting out of this gross miscarriage of justice is palpable. It's a good chance for embittered, disappointed losers to vent their rage at someone far above them.