Originally posted by Scarpa
Reading this thread I'll just say this. To the atheists just remember that Australia was built on Christian values in our grandparents generation so you can become lefties, righties, whatever you want and say whatever you want in a free country. To the lefties, just hope you have the same outrage for religions where child brides are a reality etc etc To the righties he has been found guilty by jury but keep an open mind.
Why the above, as a catholic I don't need to hear anti-catholic political agendas to feed some of the current world views put into these threads. I destest priests who have raped children and they should burn in hell (and jail) for their crimes all I care, but to say, like some have said here, this is what been a catholic is is quite pathetic.
Now as a church goer, and reading the papers today, I actually have my doubts here. Anyone going to church on a regular basis would know at the end of mass the priest comes out to the front of the church and mingles with parents and kids. At the church I attend the kids are even given lollies (and is probably one reason I can get my kids to church in the first place). This appears to be more of a case he said, they said, and is reliant on one one witness account btw and for it to happen 10 minutes after a mass well I have my doubts here. I just wonder if Pell gave evidence swearing on the Bible that he didn't do it whether that would have convinced the jury, but why he didn't give evidence is confusing here btw and obviously in any retrial he should give his side of the story here.
Now with paedophiles, you would think there would be more than one incident like the other pedo convicted priests who offended regularly over many many years (and shame on the catholic church for not dealing with the issues at the time and for those people who knew and did nothing i hope they also burn in hell as well). I hope this is not one of the those Lindy Chamberlain moments where the public wanted a public hanging and got egg on its face later on when they were found to be innocent. Time will tell.
On a personal note, I don't particularly like Pell's view of been a catholic. His view on been a catholic is outdated and has probably sent the church backwards for many many years (along with the previous two Popes who were just too hardlined like Pell), but Pope Francis is very good for the church. Francis is certainly trying to do the right thing and get the church back on track, and with that hopefully more people will attend in future.
All IMO
I know this has been a pile on against Pell but given these allegations against Pell and others have been in the news so long news of a conviction brings a sense of relief to some and anguish to others. My mother was quite distressed when I told her last year about the conviction and I can understand many parishiners being so.
I was an alter boy and have pinched the alter in concert with other alters boys as well from the vestry. I've also been changing there when a priest has been present, nothing untoward ever happened that I knew of. The opportunity would definitely been there for a sinister act to occur afterwards on some occasions though. It was quite common to chat to the priest afterwards as we were quite often congratulated for a job well done.
There have been other allegations against Pell over the years dating back to the early 60's but the one from the Ballarat pool during the stands out for me and I still remember the main accusers statement from all those years ago. He said all the boys knew to get out of the water when "Big George" was in the pool. Some key piece of evidence was ruled inadmissible this morning relating to that case which is why the charges were dropped today. I think that incident has been put forward at least 4 times over the years and a reformed herion addict couldn't match it with the churches lawyers.
