As ugly as the charges and allegations are, and it does pain me to say it and given my thoughts on the church, Cardinal Pell deserves a break.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat ??????????
You are quite possibly screaming at this stage but let me offer my rational on this thought.
Allegations have been made, charges are laid and until there is a verdict in a court of law, not social media with keyboard warriors sitting in a self appointed judicial lounge room, there MUST be a presumption of innocence.
That is the way it's done.
This is not about whether a footballer wacked somebody or an aggrieved person with an axe to grind, these are very serious charges in the Victorian court and they must be treated in the proper manner.
The news is making headlines world wide, it was always going to considering the Cardinal's position in the church, and he is a divisive figure for some, no doubt, and so the process must be followed as it should be even with a footballer.
However the fact that a fighting fund has been set up, apparently for catholics to help with legal costs now the Vatican has said it will not help with a legal bill that could run into hundreds of thousands has raised many hackles.
The chances of me offering half a denar for the cause are about the same as the Dockers running onto the MCG on September 30th.
Others will. It's their money, they can do what they want with it.
Is the church pressuring parishioners to help, I have no idea, it's a fair bet the sermons will include such a plea though.
Time will tell if the cardinal can get a fair trial, and then one way or the other the whole sordid, sad mess can be left to the pages of history, which have already judged the institution harshly.
For now, this is a seperate, as yet untested matter.
I now need a shower.