THE
P RTAL
August 2017
Page 24
Child abuse
scandal –
some important
questions
Geoffrey Kirk asks some awkward, but important, questions
O ne might
have thought with all the lurid revelations of recent years, culminating in the
extraordinary case of Jimmy Saville, that the child abuse scandal had run its course. But not so. Two
recent incidents – the suspension from priestly functions of George Carey, and the return to Australia of
George Pell – have concentrated our attention on it once more.
Though credible accusations of actual abuse are now traditionally marked the Church’s treatment of the
coming forward in the case of Cardinal Pell, both cases errant.
appear, in substance, to be about failure to report to
The gospel saying about the millstone
the authorities instances of sexual abuse brought to
notwithstanding, we need to tread very carefully
the defendant’s attention.
when the modern world invents for itself a crime that
Whilst no one wants to encourage laxity in this is thought to be so heinous as to be unforgiveable.
area, the accusations nevertheless raise important Souls are at stake.
considerations.
New orthodoxies have arisen since these alleged
crimes were committed. Now it is generally agreed
that the victim must in all circumstances be believed,
and no discretion is allowed to those – priests or
counsellors – to whom ostensibly confidential
revelations are made.
Are these orthodoxies right, or even sensible?
Consider the case of the alleged Dolphin Square
paedophile ring, where lurid tales of abuse and even
murder resulted in no firm evidence and no final
convictions.
Consider, too, the state of mind of the victim, friend
or relative who might choose to go a to a priest of
bishop rather than approach the police. Surely the
minister in such a circumstance should respect the
wishes of the victim and avoid the trauma of a forensic
investigation?
In any case, is the other new orthodoxy that
paedophiles are inherently irreformable psycho-
logically sustainable or more importantly Christian?
Catholics will want to take a long hard look at
prevailing attitudes and measure them against the age
long traditions of mercy and compassion, which have