Letters

60 Minutes attack (letter)

Sam Lynch

Contents - Jul 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Archbishop Pell: the '60 Minutes' beat-up - Michael Gilchrist Saints: Padre Pio canonised: "a model of the priesthood" (John Paul II) - Paul MacLeod News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 '60 Minutes': Archbishop George Pell puts the record straight - Archbishop George Pell Tablet article prompts critical response from Archbishop Pell - Michael Gilchrist Interview: George Weigel: the impact of John Paul II's pontificate - Zenit News Service Chavagnes International College for boys - Paul Russell Cardinal Avery Dulles: US Jesuits need 'wake-up call' - Michael Gilchrist Events: The Italians: Three Centuries of Italian Art 1500-1800 - Francis Young Vatican II, church architecture and "reform of the reform" - Sidney Rofe Letters: Zero tolerance (letter) - Alan A. Hoysted Letters: 60 Minutes attack (letter) - Sam Lynch Letters: Beat-up (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Short-changed (letter) - Mrs Carol V. Phillips Poetry: It Is (The Alternative to 'Star Wars') - Andrew Huntley Letters: Teaching the faith (letter) - Fr James Brasier Letters: Catholic chaplains (letter) - Charles G. Jarrells Letters: Women's Commission (letter) - Gillian Gonzalez Letters: Missal translation (letter) - Philip Robinson Letters: Accuracy (letter) - Fr Austin Kenny CP Letters: Vatican II (letter) - Peter D. Howard Letters: Abortion (letter) - George F. Simpson Letters: Obituary - Fr Patrick Cosgrove, South Africa (letter) - Fr E. Lumley-Holmes CSsR Letters: Fr Des Jenkins Golden Jubilee (letter) - Gordon R. Coomber Events: Cathedral painting - Hollywood Ball - Josie di Mauro Catholic Truth Society in Brisbane - B. Massey Books: A Pope and a Council on the Sacred Liturgy, by Aidan Nichols OP - Msgr Peter J. Elliott (reviewer) Books: The Greatest Marvel of All, by Pierre-Marie Emonet OP - Michael Casanova (reviewer) Books: The Modern Rite, by Mgr Klaus Gamber - Fr Peter Joseph (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: John Paul II clarifies Vatican II teaching on lay and priestly roles - Pope John Paul II

I have been deeply concerned by the malicious attack launched on Archbishop George Pell of Sydney by the 60 Minutes program. My first response was daily prayer for His Grace. My second was that all Catholics have the right and duty to express anger over this public attack on our leadership.

I have written letters to the editors of newspapers which published unbalanced articles (none that I read offered any defence of Archbishop Pell, or fully reported his response to the allegations).

I would like both to encourage everyone to do the same and offer suggestions about what to say.

Firstly, I read what Archbishop Pell had to say in full. His statement is available on the Sydney Archdiocese website [and in the present edition of AD2000]. I was looking for what the news reports didn't bother to report.

Archbishop Pell, upon being made Archbishop of Melbourne, made addressing the problem of sexual abuse by clergy a priority and within three months announced the appointment of an independent commissioner to hear complaints, set up a compensation panel and established a counselling service for victims. As a package, this was pioneering work in the world.

The Archbishop also pointed out the implausibility of the accusation since that as an auxilary bishop (as he was at the time of the alleged "bribe") he simply had no power to disburse funds or purchase property. This point was not made in any report that I read, either.

It is incumbent upon ordinary Catholics to come to Dr Pell's defence and demand that our media (the media that we all pay for!) treats our leadership with proper respect and is fair in column-inch terms - if nothing else - in printing responses to the slanderous accusations.

Sam Lynch
Clemton Park, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 6 (July 2002), p. 14