George Pell showed little empathy for victims, inquiry hears

Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Nov. 24, 2012

Cardinal George Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney, had tried to compel victims into silence when confronted with evidence of wrongdoing by parish priests when he was the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sexual abuse was told.

Anthony Foster recalled meeting Cardinal Pell to discuss a priest who had repeatedly raped two of his daughters when they were at primary school.

He told the inquiry that Cardinal Pell said: "If you don't like what we're doing, take us to court," and did not appear distressed by the incidents.

"In our interactions with the now-Cardinal Archbishop Pell, we experienced a sociopathic lack of empathy, typifying the attitude and responses of the church hierarchy," Mr Foster said.

Meanwhile the detective whose claims of a church cover-up of child sex abuse led to the announcement of the federal royal commission is seeking special whistleblower legislation protection from threats.

NSW Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox said yesterday he and his wife had received hate mail and other threats.

His lawyer last week wrote to Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione seeking his support for Insp Fox to be registered as a whistleblower under the Public Interest Disclosures Act.