Australian police last week raided the offices of Sydney’s Archbishop George Pell. Evidently, they were looking for letters between Pell and a man who claims to have been raped by a priest more than two decades ago.
It’s a strange case and I’m sure some of the facts must be missing. The victim, who was 29 in 1982, says he was assaulted twice by the priest. He reported the abuse to Church officials the next day, but nothing was done. Fast-forward to 2003: prompted by the Scandal, the victims complains again. Archbishop Pell investigates and concludes that he can’t determine if the incident was consensual or criminal. He advises the man to contact police. The priest is caught confessing what he did, is arrested, and pleads guilty.
