Counsel scathing of George Pell’s ‘inaction’ on child sex abuse

Decades of cover-ups within the scandal-plagued Ballarat Catholic archdiocese have been laid bare.

Abuse survivor Andrew Collins at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Ballarat yesterday. Picture: David Geraghty

Decades of cover-ups within the scandal-plagued Ballarat Catholic archdiocese have been laid bare by counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, propelling a finding that Cardinal George Pell was told of, and dismissed, information about a Christian Brother abusing young boys in 1974.

The clerical pedophilia was abetted by a council of church leaders, led by bishop Ronald Mulkearns, repeatedly moving priests when their behaviour threatened to become public.

Chief among the offenders was priest Gerald Ridsdale, who was moved between a dozen parishes between 1962 and 1991.

Lead barrister Gail Furness SC, Angus Stewart SC and Stephen Free said Mulkearns, who died in April, showed “complete dis­regard” for the safety of children as he shifted Ridsdale via the archdiocese’s College of Consultors, on which Cardinal Pell sat from 1977 to 1984.

Citing Cardinal Pell’s testimony that it was “unacceptable” for Mulkearns to move Ridsdale knowing the allegations against him, counsel assisting urged broad­er condemnation of the church leadership. “It follows that the conduct of any consultor who agreed to move Ridsdale, or any priest with knowledge of alle­gations of child sexual abuse made against them, is unacceptable,” they said.

“Bishop Mulkearns’s response formed a pattern that resulted in more children being abused, ­parishioners being deceived about their parish priest and the safety of their children … (and) silence imposed on those in the church.”

The barristers criticised Cardinal Pell for his apparent inaction regarding pedophile and Christian Brother Edward (Ted) Dowlan, submitting that the evidence showed he was told by at least one student and one or two priests about Dowlan’s abusing between 1973 and 1975.

“By 1973, he was conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy and considered measures of avoiding situations that might provoke ­gossip about it.

“Father Pell did not take any further action in relation to the ­rumours he heard about Dowlan’s sexual abuse of children.”

Abuse survivor Andrew Collins said he believed the commission’s final report would be similarly scathing of the church’s conduct in Ballarat.

Mr Collins — abused by four different men at Ballarat schools and churches — said he was disappointed by Cardinal Pell and the church’s lack of empathy in their responses to the counsel assisting’s submissions.

“They just want to discredit all of the victims,” he said. “It’s good to see the commission hasn’t taken that stance.

“If you have so many people coming forward, there must be something there.”

The commission’s counsel said the evidence showed Cardinal Pell had been specifically told about Dowlan by then 12-year-old victim Timothy Green in 1974.

Mr Green told the royal commission he had told then Father Pell that “Brother Dowlan is touching little boys”, to which he responded, “Don’t be ridiculous”, and walked out.

While condemning Cardinal Pell for his lack of action given the knowledge he possessed, counsel assisting the commission refrained from making submissions against him on three key claims.