But yes, these pesky abuse victims and their families, they just need to get over it, after all, what's a bit of child-rape by an authority figure? If there was any justice, this guy would be on his way to a missionary posting in Saudi Arabia.
News.com.au wrote: Stop dwelling on sex abuse, says World Youth Day bishop
By Vincent Morello
July 16, 2008 02:40pm
Article from: AAP
PEOPLE should stop "dwelling crankily" on old wounds, Bishop Anthony Fisher said today as he faced questions about the Catholic Church's handling of Melbourne sisters repeatedly raped by a priest.
Bishop Fisher, who is World Youth Day (WYD) coordinator, today said the latest controversy was detracting from the celebration of WYD.
Emma Foster committed suicide earlier this year at the age of 26, while her sister Katherine drank heavily before being left disabled when hit by a drunk driver in 1999, ABC's Lateline reported last night.
Melbourne priest Kevin O'Donnell raped the girls while they were in primary school and died in prison about 10 years ago.
Cardinal George Pell, now the leader of the Catholic Church in Australia, was Melbourne Archbishop when the Fosters complained of the abuse, and they claim he stalled their compensation claim.
In 1998 the family rejected his offer of compensation and they spent eight years in a protracted legal battle before negotiating a settlement.
Tragic story - Pell
Cardinal Pell today said the story of Emma Foster was "tragic", and said he apologised to her and her family in 1998.
He said he was "very saddened'' and described the story as "one of the worst things that can happen for a young woman''.
He said although the events happened before his time as archbishop of Melbourne, he was involved in dealing with it.
"I apologised to Emma in 1998,'' he said before making an address at a World Youth Day event.
"I met with her parents. We offered them some financial help. We also offered them counselling.
"Emma availed herself of that counselling for 10 years and we contributed substantially towards those counselling costs.''
Personal audience
The girls' father, Anthony Foster, told Lateline he was on his way to Australia from Britain to seek a personal audience with the Pope and Dr Pell .
He 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.
Fisher "disappointed"
Bishop Fisher said he was disappointed people were focusing on sexual abuse while the WYD festivities were taking place.
"I think most of Australia was enjoying, delighting in the beauty and goodness of these young people ... rather than dwelling crankily as a few people are doing on old wounds," he said.
"But I would have to say ... the cardinal has led in the church in this country in trying to put in better and better processes to deal for these things so that we get it right and, in the meantime, to do all we can to prevent this happening again and to bring healing and justice to the victims."
