Pell has form on lying and bullying and it is unfortunate that he is the most senior Australian churchman. I'm not surprised no-one could be found to vouch for Pell on the Religion Report - the Lateline stuff was pretty damning. I have a dream that Bishop Robinson will be coaxed out of retirement to head an inquisition into Pell's behaviour - alas it is just a dream.
That said, I have been astonished at the campaign of abuse run by sections of the media (the SMH particularly) leading up to WYD. Even more oddly it has suddenly flipped to enthusiasm and acceptance at the last minute. I just don't understand. Perhaps the kids themselves are hard to knock.
I've got two of my own there and we've just had 50 or so pilgrims from Wyoming staying at our parish on the way through to Sydney and they were charming and not cynical at all and it was great to host them.
I hope all goes well even if Ratzinger and Pell aren't my poster boys.
I noted on a Big Pond website that if you clicked on a link for WYD under a photo of the Pope it took you to a site advertising The Dark Knight. Hopefully an innocent error.
It was more the "spoiler" timing of the Pell stuff that annoyed, and that fact that it just went on and on. (I never really understood whether the victim was helping the ABC push the story or not.)
There was a bunch of people from Papua New Guinea at my local church this weekend. Much enthusiasm all around, and it is certainly good to get an international perspective on the church for a change. (I suppose that Rowan Williams would disagree with that.)
Pell has form on lying and bullying and it is unfortunate that he is the most senior Australian churchman. I'm not surprised no-one could be found to vouch for Pell on the Religion Report - the Lateline stuff was pretty damning. I have a dream that Bishop Robinson will be coaxed out of retirement to head an inquisition into Pell's behaviour - alas it is just a dream.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I have been astonished at the campaign of abuse run by sections of the media (the SMH particularly) leading up to WYD. Even more oddly it has suddenly flipped to enthusiasm and acceptance at the last minute.
I just don't understand. Perhaps the kids themselves are hard to knock.
I've got two of my own there and we've just had 50 or so pilgrims from Wyoming staying at our parish on the way through to Sydney and they were charming and not cynical at all and it was great to host them.
I hope all goes well even if Ratzinger and Pell aren't my poster boys.
I noted on a Big Pond website that if you clicked on a link for WYD under a photo of the Pope it took you to a site advertising The Dark Knight. Hopefully an innocent error.
It was more the "spoiler" timing of the Pell stuff that annoyed, and that fact that it just went on and on. (I never really understood whether the victim was helping the ABC push the story or not.)
ReplyDeleteThere was a bunch of people from Papua New Guinea at my local church this weekend. Much enthusiasm all around, and it is certainly good to get an international perspective on the church for a change. (I suppose that Rowan Williams would disagree with that.)