Bishop attacked on sex abuse remarks
James Madden; 17/6/08
The issue of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy members flared again yesterday after the co-ordinator of World Youth Day, Bishop Anthony Fisher, was accused of making insensitive remarks about the case of two sisters who were raped by a priest. On Tuesday, ABC TV reported that Anthony and Christine Foster, whose daughters Emma and Katherine were repeatedly raped by Melbourne priest Kevin O’Donnell when they were in primary school in the early 1990s, were seeking a personal audience this week with Pope Benedict XVI and Sydney Archbishop George Pell. Mr Foster said he would not accept a papal apology to sexual abuse victims unless the Pope also changed the way the church and its lawyers dealt with those victims. But the story took another turn yesterday when Bishop Fisher appeared to play down the Foster abuse case, suggesting the matter - and the sexual abuse claims aired publicly last week by former Catholic teacher Anthony Jones - were detracting from this week’s Catholic jamboree.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24032546-2702,00.html
Outrage over bishop’s abuse remarks; Barney Zwartz; 17/7/08: http://www.theage.com.au/national/outrage-over-bishops-abuse-remarks-20080716-3gcr.html
Father’s message to church: the wounds are still open; Joel Gibson, Jano Gibson & Erik Jensen; http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fathers-message-to-church-the-wounds-are-still-open/2008/07/16/1216162959878.html17/7/08;
It isn’t enough to say sorry and compensate victims
Andrew West; 17/7/08
Christ exhorts us to forgive those who have wounded, abused, insulted or humiliated us. When the disciple Peter asked how many times he must forgive, Jesus said: “Not seven times but 77 times.” The concept of redemption is deeply rooted in Christianity. But forgiveness does not mean a restoration of grace. It does not mean the offender is restored to a position of trust, respect or authority. It does not mean the offender is restored to God’s favour. The offender must also seek forgiveness through active repentance, not merely expect the victim to extend it as a matter of Christian duty. This is where the Catholic Church and Cardinal George Pell seem to get it wrong.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/it-isnt-enough-to-say-sorry-and-compensate-victims/2008/07/16/1216162959958.html
Pell fails to disrupt the flowertots
Emily Dunn; 17/7/08
If Cardinal George Pell had a secret hope of one day hosting a television talk show, his prayers were dashed yesterday. In a time slot ruled by episodes of The Bold And The Beautiful and Fi Fi And The Flowertots, the first of the week’s World Youth Day events did little to disrupt Monday’s TV ratings results. The first of the televised events, a half-hour highlights package on SBS at 2.30pm titled Journey Of The Cross, attracted only 48,000 viewers, leaving it more than halfway down the ratings table. It was followed by the World Youth Day opening Mass, hosted by Cardinal Pell, an extravaganza of almost three hours that drew an average of 132,000 viewers and was ranked 100th among the most-watched programs.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pell-fails-to-disrupt-the-flowertots/2008/07/16/1216162959947.html
An olive branch to other faiths
Andrew West; 17/7/08
Two years ago the Pope ignited a storm in the Islamic world when he invoked the words of a medieval predecessor to criticise the Muslim faith. But behind the clamour of World Youth Day, the Catholic Church is reaching out to other religions, and today will host an interfaith summit. The summit will bring together 30 representatives, most in their 20s and 30s, of the Islamic, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist religions as well as other Christians from the Anglican, Evangelical, Pentacostal and Eastern Orthodox denominations.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-youth-day/an-olive-branch-to-other-faiths/2008/07/16/1216162959953.html
Pope urged to ease rules for priests
Linda Morris; 17/7/08
Liberals in the Australian Catholic Church have called for the pontiff’s direct intervention to lift the ban on female and married priests. Two hundred lay Catholics, religious sisters and brothers, married deacons and priests have written to the Pope asking him to change the rules on the ordination of priests. They want married men to be ordained immediately and have asked the Pope to consider lifting the ban on the ordination of women to address the shortage of clergy. The shortfall was especially dire in rural areas and priests often had to travel more than 600 kilometres each weekend to provide Mass and the Sacraments. For the first 1100 years of the church, the group said, most priests, including bishops and popes, were married.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-youth-day/pope-urged-to-ease-rules-for-priests/2008/07/16/1216162959962.html
Tags: Australia, Christianity, Sex Trade, WYD