Yesterday in Rome there was a unique kind of inquisition, an irony that has not escaped many observers. It is an extraordinary media event centred around a high-profile Vatican personality. Not Pope Francis but Cardinal George Pell, the No. 3 in the Holy See. This particular inquisition is the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The fact that such an event should be taking place in Rome at all is what makes it unique.
It is true that Pell, a former Archbishop of Melbourne and of Sydney, is today widely seen in Rome and the Church as one of the reformers, one of Pope Francis’ appointed team to help reform the Roman Curia. It’s a daunting task. Pell is specifically in charge of reforming Vatican finances as Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, a post he has held since 2014.
It is also true that back home in Australia, Pell’s image is quite different. Far from being seen as a reformer he is seen as a hardline, even tough-minded, conservative. This is a considerable contradiction. It’s a genuine paradox that there could be such opposite reputations for the same high-profile individual and at the same time.
Beginning late Sunday evening in Rome at the Hotel Quirinale the Cardinal took up a Bible in his hand and swore to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” and he began his testimony before the royal commissioners. The event is under way. The hearing is expected to run for four hours per day, including a half-hour adjournment, for three to four days.
Let’s consider a few background facts.
Fact 1: Pell is one of the world’s most media-savvy Church leaders. Over the years he has done many hard yards with the Australian media, reputed to be perhaps the toughest in the world.
Fact 2: few people are aware that, in addition to his financial role, the Cardinal is also in charge of restructuring the Vatican News media centre. The Vatican’s broadcast facility is one of the world’s first and oldest international media centres. It also includes rapidly expanding social media and live-streaming facilities. Pell has a history of promoting Catholic social media. In 2008, when Archbishop of Sydney, he launched a major social media project during World Youth Day, described as “the Catholic Facebook”. He has retained former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten to chair this Vatican media restructuring project. It’s big.
Fact 3: prior to this current event, the Cardinal has made several appearances before Victorian and Australian inquisitions into child abuse and is a well-rehearsed and experienced witness. These previous events were mostly covered by Australian media.
Fact 4: now the Roman prince of the Church has chosen to make his royal commission finale appearance in Rome. This is quite a careful decision. It has been presented as being for mainly health reasons, in that he prefers not to travel to Australia. While this might be true, there could also be other reasons that are behind his decision to testify in Rome rather than Ballarat.
What are the possible motives for this decision?
A key forensic question that legal investigators ask when searching for a motive behind an action or a decision is: cui bono, or, who benefits? It is meant to search below the obvious motives to dig up other possible motives for a decision or action by seeking other possible benefits or gains.
As an ex-soldier, I remember being taught that the first important priority in battle is the selection of the battlefield. Even Sun Tzu’s ancient Art of War points out the strategic importance of choosing where to fight the enemy. The one who chooses the battlefield already has an advantage before the battle begins. It makes obvious sense.
So what is the Roman prince up to?
A possible, perhaps likely motive behind his decision is this: if the event were in Ballarat and covered by the Australian media, he would have the wind against him. If the event is in Rome and covered not only by Australian media but also by the international media, then he would have the wind with him in the last quarter.
It is going to be an interesting week. Stay tuned.
*Michael Hewitt-Gleeson is a Melbourne writer at Vaticanology.net and has been an independent Vaticanologist for 30 years
Interesting points Michael.
I’m assuming (due to the nature of deadlines) that this piece was written prior to today’s airing of episode 2 of George Pell’s Adventures in Ballarat.
With the benefit of hindsight, it’s probably worth considering a few more facts.
Extra fact 1. Being a media-savvy operator, doesn’t mean you can hide your own involvement in past horrors from a top flight barrister and a committed Judge.
Extra fact 2. Rome is not necessarily a safe haven with lots of local support.
Extra fact 3. When you have a *really* bad day in the witness box and the audience is now global, rather than just a few tens of thousands out in the Antipodes., it all gets very gory, very quickly.
Extra fact 4. When the hand of God plays the joker and your car crash day in the box directly follows Spotlight winning the at Oscars.
When all these awkward realities collide… Then that oh so carefully planned strategy can come horribly unstuck, horribly fast.
Tomorrow’s episode will probably rate its socks off.
I’m fascinated by the thought there is such a thing, even (TM to FDotM, of long longing), as “an independent Vaticanologist“.
It reminds me of when Solidarity finally took over in Poland and the Kremlin’s “Chief Ideologist” made a lastminute dash to Warsaw to vet proceedings – his value of the planet diminishing with each kilometre – wonder what he does these days for a crust?
Does the phrase mean ‘apologist’?
If ‘Pell is one of the world’s most media-savvy Church leaders’ the bar must be set medium-low.
Just as he demonstrated on a 2012 Q&A appearance, the Cardinal can be seriously out of touch with the non-ordained here in the parishes.
Pell may be clever, may be smooth, may wield ‘holy’ clout – but he’s unaware his hem is showing.
I finally get it. He’s simply a sociopath.
No capacity to feel empathy for other human beings. I believe he is genuinely puzzled by “all the fuss” is about.
Here is the textbook definition (from Mosbys)
QUOTE
“A condition characterised by repetitive behavioural pattern that are contrary to usual moral and ethical standards and cause a person to experience continual conflict with society. Symptoms include aggressiveness, callousness, impulsiveness , irresponsibility, hostility, a low frustration level, a marked emotional immaturity, and poor judgement.
A person who has this disorder overlooks the rights of others, is incapabble of loyalty to others or to social values, is unable to to experience guilt or to learn from past behaviours, is impervious to punishment and tends to rationalise their behaviour or to blame it on others”
END QUOTE
If that does not accurately describe George Pell, I don’t know what does
Absolutely first class. Excellent, if not brilliant.
Has anyone seen a person with a better memory.. as long as it’s not about fiddling priests..describing child rape as an eccentricity.. Big George is the Albert Speer of what has been a holocaust for the survivors..