Verdicts - made in December - were just announced.

Pell was found guilty in Melbourne on five counts of abusing teenagers, just over 20 years ago.

Some of the abuse took place in the Cathedral's sacristy.

Pell is the highest ranked Catholic cleric to face such charges - and will be sentenced on Wednesday.


Last week, a major Vatican summit was held on the subject of child abuse by Catholic clergy.

The conclusions are awaited.

Phillipe Barbarin of Lyon in France - is the next Cardinal to face justice for matters of child abuse; although he, himself, is not accused of carrying out abuse.

But, perhaps more significantly and damaging - he has been before the French courts (in January, of this year) on charges of covering up the abuse of paedophile priests, reporting to him.

Judgement, in this case, is expected in early March.


Elsewhere - in Chile and Washington, for example - more accused Cardinals are at various different stages in the legal processes, in similar cases.

Barney wrote:
Phillipe Barbarin of Lyon in France - is the next Cardinal to face justice for matters of child abuse; although he, himself, is not accused of carrying out abuse.

But, perhaps more significantly and damaging - he has been before the French courts (in January, of this year) on charges of covering up the abuse of paedophile priests, reporting to him.

Judgement, in this case, is expected in early March.


Barbarin was found guilty - which further increases the probability of further cases against senior clerics who failed to report the paedophile activities of priests, who reported to them.

In France also - two bishops were found guilty of similar offences, in recent years; at Bayeux and Orleans.

Many bishops - in Ireland, for instance - who have already admitted their errors in covering up for, and just transferring these priests, will be even more concerned.

Barney wrote:
Barney wrote:
Phillipe Barbarin of Lyon in France - is the next Cardinal to face justice for matters of child abuse; although he, himself, is not accused of carrying out abuse.

But, perhaps more significantly and damaging - he has been before the French courts (in January, of this year) on charges of covering up the abuse of paedophile priests, reporting to him.

Judgement, in this case, is expected in early March.


Barbarin was found guilty - which further increases the probability of further cases against senior clerics who failed to report the paedophile activities of priests, who reported to them.

In France also - two bishops were found guilty of similar offences, in recent years; at Bayeux and Orleans.

Many bishops - in Ireland, for instance - who have already admitted their errors in covering up for, and just transferring these priests, will be even more concerned.




I followed the original Michael Jackson trial. And in this french case my question is always the same as then, like the first thing I want to know. Was the evidence available at the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt". Was the evidence such if the church person was a close friend, a family member or even it was myself. The evidence presented was such that I would be forced say well a sad day for me as my friend / family member has been demonstrated to be guilty thus I have to accept the verdict and that justice has been done and if it was me then I would have to say "you have me bang to rights" and yes I deserve the outcome.

If in these cases as almost all the others is not at the fair standard then the guilty verdict points towards likely criminal conduct by the public, officials, police, judges, lawyers and bloggers even. Criminal in contributing to perverting the course of justice. Some deliberately and others in the mob rule.

So Barney was the evidence there or do we now have new victims and new criminals? That's the first thing I really want to know! Then I will consider the implications once the first basic step is established.

I don't have much details of the case/trial - but may know more when I watch the movie 'Grace of God' - which was recently released.

The release was opposed by a variety of factions (including the Catholic church), and the movie - I believe - details the background to the case and the stories behind it, in the Lyon area.

When the Boston Globe published details of the child abuse by clergy, in that diocese - a movie was also made about it; it won an Oscar, and was called 'Spotlight'.

The movie, shot in 2018 - and currently being shown in French cinemas - is called 'By the Grace of God'.

It won the Jury award at the Berlin Film Festival, and depicts the abuse of Bernard Preynat - the French paedophile priest, who Cardinal Barbarin ignored.

Barbarin, now convicted, has resigned.

French prosecutors were apparently reluctant to accuse Barbarin. And the movie covers how Preynat's victims joined together to take a civil case against Barbarin - for his inaction against Preynat - which they won.

Preynat's case will take place, in the French courts, later this year.

One wonders if the movie is being shown in Rome...