Remaining steadfast:

180 Degrees: Tell us about a time you did 180—changed your views on something, reversed a decision, or acted in a way you ordinarily don’t.

Doesn’t 180 degrees mean I’ve ended up where I started? If so, this is a topic that has moved me to write before, even though I am not a Roman Catholic; but I am very concerned that children deserve to be protected from predatory, powerful people. It is satisfying to read that finally justice is being attended to.

A News worthy topic today mentions Cardinal Pell. As some of you know I wrote to the Pope and suggested Cardinal Pell should be removed from his office as head of the Roman Catholic Church in Australia due to his neglect of children; allowing paedophilia to continue during his watch.

Although I didn’t hear from the Pope directly, his action in removing the Cardinal to Rome was greatly appreciated.

Since then the Royal Commission looking into Paedophilia has recommended Pell’s return to Ballarat to answer more questions, I was delighted today to hear that Peter Saunders, hand picked by the Pope, spoke out against Pell, saying this:

‘I think it is critical that George Pell is moved aside, that he is sent back to Australia, and that the Pope takes the strongest action against him.’

Indeed, I hope he will be de-frocked, have his Companion of the Order of Australia and his Centenary Medal removed, and sent back to Australia to face the Royal Commission. According to Wikipedia those awards were removed on May 24^th 2015. I do hope this is correct.

Hopefully tomorrow, I shall write about happier events.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/180-degrees/

 

 

 

 

 

Birthdays

This morning I was awakened with the news that Cardinal Pell has been promoted to Rome. What a delightful birthday present. Maybe my letter to the Pope had some effect? David Marr spoke on radio saying that George Pell will eventually think that living close to Sydney Harbour was heaven. The job in Vatican City will not be an easy assignment….. The Italians in charge of the Vatican Bank  are known to be confused about how much money is there; the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. Having lived in Italy, I can believe it!

The Royal Commission into child abuse in Australia will now be able to make their own conclusions, without Pell’s ‘help’.

I not only share my birthday with Brendan, my dentist, but he shares my rather warped sense of humour. I found this to celebrate our special day: Happy Birthday Brendan!

 

Recommended reading: ‘Healing starts with fresh blood at the top’ by Barney Zwartz

It was with great pleasure I read the article written by Barney Zwartz in The Age, 27.12.13, with the article, ‘ Healing starts with fresh blood at the top.’

Having written to Cardinal Pell and received a patronizing response, I had resolved to refrain from writing again to ask him to answer my question. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to give his Companion of the Order of Australian (AC) back? His response that he was ‘deeply moved by the suffering of victims of sexual abuse’ belies his arrogance in allowing it to continue.  His many copies of pages from the Royal Commission did not answer my question.

Barney Zwartz has the right idea: remove both the Archbishops in Melbourne and Sydney, to allow a fresh, more believable approach to help those who have been afflicted by sexual abuse in the Catholic Church to restore their faith. Surely pride is a quality that is a hinderance. Finding more humble replacements would no doubt please most parishioners and rejuvenate the church.

Thank you to Barney Zwartz for his thought provoking and well written article.