There has been much talk in and on various media over pedophilia that may have been done by religious of various persuasions over the years. Anyone found guilty deserves all they get.
My thoughts here concern those who show a complete ignorance of the Church and its structures. This seems to be most of the "radio shock-jocks".
George Cardinal Pell is NOT the head of the Catholic Church in Australia. He is the Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan Archbishop of New South Wales. It is interesting to note that the Archdiocese of Sydney does not even cover all of the greater Sydney area. Cardinal Pell occupies a very unique place in the Catholic Church in Australia and world-wide as a Cardinal. At the moment he is permitted to vote for a new Pope if that need should arise, and yes, he has the ear of the Pope and politicians here in Australia. He often has an opinion on matters, which while some may not like what he says, follow the official teachings of the Church - as should be the case given he is a Cardinal, and one would expect no less of him.
As Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Pell is responsible for the priests and people who live in the parishes that make up Sydney.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference sees all the bishops of Australia come together to try and get some consensus. The President of the Conference is Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne, and the previous president was Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide.
