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AUSTRALIAN ARCHBISHOP SETS MEDIA STRAIGHT ON ABORTION AND SEX ABUSE

Globe and Mail reported WYD comments out of context

SYDNEY, August 2, 2002 (LSN.ca) - The media in Australia have relentlessly criticized Sydney Archbishop Dr. George Pell for remarks he made at a World Youth Day talk which were taken out of context by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. Newspapers were erroneously suggesting that remarks made by the Archbishop on the sexual abuse scandal and abortion were made in an attempt to downplay the issue of sexual abuse, or to deflect attention from it. However, the archbishop actually emphasized the gravity of sexual abuse but also noted that media attention is focused on this grave sin while ignoring other grave sins such as abortion.

The Archbishop explains:

"At the end of my 40 minute talk at a World Youth Day teaching session, I was asked a question about what young Catholics should say when they are asked about sexual abuse in the Church. I repeated my view that clerical sexual abuse is an enormous moral scandal that has caused great damage to the victims and their families, and also to the Church... I went on to state that there are other grave moral scandals in society, which receive little media coverage. Abortion would be a prime example.

"I accept that many people do not share our view on this issue, but for Christians abortion represents the destruction of innocent human life. There are many terrible wrongs that people can suffer, often with life-long consequences. But Christian teaching is at one with the law and secular ethics in holding that the supreme wrong that can be done to a person is the taking of their life. This claim does not make any other evils less evil.

"This was the context in which my remarks were made and in which they should be understood. My words did not in anyway downplay the seriousness of sexual abuse. At the end of the session I was given a standing ovation, as reported in the Canadian press but not by the Australian media. My young listeners agreed with me. Sexual abuse is evil, but there are other serious evils in society as well.

"Where innocent or vulnerable people are hurt, honesty and compassion are essential. The Church has accepted the challenge to respond in this way to sexual abuse. It is important that our community should do the same on the issue of abortion."

See Archbishop Pell's release at:
http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/

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