How about Father Anthony Bongiorno and the murder of Maria James?
Today, he would have instantly been considered a prime suspect & investigated, … but in 1980, it just wasn’t even considered possible a Priest would do such a thing, and he was actually engaged by Police to tell the kids of their Mums murder.
Under the cover of their robes, they could, quite literally get away with Murder back then.
He’s home Tim.
To be honest, I didn’t think he’d front up.
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The distinct impression is that the current Pope isnt putting up with any of this from anyone and no matter who you are, you will have to face the allegations.
I disagree. It is most definitely “{Abstract Noun} is the root of all evil.”
Here’s the famous photo of George accompanying his former housemate, Fr. Gerald Ridsdale to court in 1993. Ridsdale was later found guilty of raping and abusing 54 children.
Some of the parents who placed their religion over the welfare of their children are escaping scrutiny. Stronger parents could have lessened or modified the behaviour of the clergy.
Kids don’t always tell their parents, including in situations of incest. It is part of the manipulative process of inculcating them with a sense of shame and to keep secrets. That appears to have occurred with the Foster family.
Many parents took steps when they knew, but were often powerless. Look at Manny Wax, the whole family has been shunned by their religious community. Often religious communities play the persecution card to forestall redress.
In the case of Pell , he took over the towards healing response by substituting it with the Melbourne response, designed to shut down recourse to justice and to prevent getting the church house in order. He is supremely guilty on that count.
If Pell thinks engaging Richter QC is a guarantee to keep him out jail he might want to have a chat to Glen Wheatley.
Real easy to say now. Back then priests were held in such high regard in the community that such behaviour from them was inconceivable.
And if you don’t think the parents now feel overwhelming guilt and shame for not listening to their kids, well…
Was absolutely chockers on the William st the footpath outside the Magistrates Court yesterday. Media, protesters and cops wall to wall, ive never seen it that crowded even a few months back when there was an imam appearing and Nazis protesting against him and antifascists protesting against them. I had to cross the street so i could get past them & get to work. This trial is going to be quite the circus.
Still is in a lot of places.
What i am is stating is fact. Some parents chose to believe the church before their children. When you have delicate situations such as this, there is always one group that avoids scrutiny. And the debate is always stifled to protect this group.
The parents didn’t touch the kids though.
What do you suggest yaco?
Let’s not blame the parents, many of which were deceived by the church and had break downs of themselves over this abuse.
The blame falls directly and heavily, like a thud of a thick bible, squarely at the feet of the abusers. The clergy.
However you also need to understand the times a lot of these things happened (I am of course talking about a lot of the past stuff that is only now being dealt with). A lot of those parents were not raised to talk about sex, good or bad, they were also raised in an indoctrinated church upbringing which stated categorically that the priest never does anything wrong. If the priest does do something wrong refer to the fact they they don’t. And the last thing you do is cause an issue because then you find you are no longer part of the church and you and your kids don’t get to heaven because the priests won’t allow it. Superstitious indoctrinated tripe but none the less believed and these people were afraid. And well, you know kids, they like to dramatise everything so why would you believe them.
For pete’s sake my family aren’t even RCC and i never went to an RCC school or church and they never believed anything i said about the teachers at school. Only after the issues i talked about came from other adults did they even consider it (nothing ever happened to me but i saw plenty).
