Right: World Youth Day coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher was quoted as saying that sex abuse victims and their families were "dwelling crankily ... on old wounds".Further implications
It remains to be seen whether the public apologies Pope Benedict has offered in both the United States and Australia to the victims of abuse from Catholic clergy will have a practical impact on how the Catholic Church in either country deals with the complaints of victims.It appears beyond dispute that the publicity these cases have received has gone a significant way toward heightening the awareness of Catholic bishops within Australia that this is a real problem and one which cannot be hidden or ignored.
It has been argued that the Church's belief in the value of penitence and the possibility of redemption has led many within the Catholic Church in Australia to treat the behaviour of pedophile clergy and other sexual abusers within the Church with a degree of lenience these offenders would not receive under criminal law. It appears that this accepting attitude is no longer seen as sustainable and that the Catholic Church in Australia and around the world is coming to the recognition that the victims of abuse are at least as worthy of support and compassion as the perpetrators of it.
Despite this, however, the Catholic Church in Australia appears reluctant to offer the level of compensation to the victims of abuse that they would receive under civil law. It also seems from the remarks of some bishops that they do not yet have a proper appreciation of the enduring harm that can be done to many victims of abuse. World Youth Day (WYD) coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher accused sex abuse victims and their families of 'dwelling crankily ... on old wounds'. The bishop was generally condemned for his lack of sympathy and understanding, however, it is concerning that the bishop was capable of making such an observation.