How many Cardinals will return from Rome?

In Australia on Friday, Cardinal “Big George” Pell luxuriously draped his massive frame up the pointy end of a plane, heading for Rome and the preliminary rounds of the title fight known as the papal conclave.

There he will duck and weave and sucker punch with the best of them before taking part in the official scrum to enthrone a new paedophile protector in chief.

Meanwhile in the US, lawyers are busy taking statements from Cardinals Dolan and Mahony in regard to child rape cases, before they also leave for Rome. These lawyers were determined their depositions occurred prior to the Cardinals’ departure. The lawyers are either not prepared to wait for the Cardonals’ return, or not sure if they will return at all.

And not just because Dolan is touted by some as a contender to succeed Ratzinger as the One Most in Need of Vatican Diplomatic Immunity.

With victims, lawyers, media and law enforcement finally uncovering ever more evidence of widespread crimes against children and against humanity, it becomes increasingly likely the numbers of Cardinals joining the disgraceful Cardinal Law as fugitives from justice in the Vatican will swell.

The papal enclave provides the perfect excuse for Cardinals to take an extended leave of absence from the local jurisdiction and flock to the foreign state where their true loyalty lies.

But when the fight is over and the victor pulls on his mantle of manufactured infallibility, will Pell return to his home shores and face the tough questions sure to be fired at him by the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry and the Royal Commission?

Will he submit to attempts to uncover the truth of his actions to protect paedophiles?

Will he actually disclose any of the sordid details of his willingness to sacrifice the safety of children?

Will he hand over any of his secret files?

Will he even place himself within reach of Australian law enforcement and the possibility of jail for his role in the enabling and coverup of child sex crimes.

Or will the wickedly expensive Domus Australia in Rome become, surprise, surprise, his opulent new permanent home?

Will he take out citizenship of the paedophile protectors’ favourite rogue state?

Will he be honoured by his fellow paedophile protectors with a prestigious and influential Vatican sinecure?

Will Australians catholics, left in the lurch to face the fallout from such a clear admission of guilt, finally realise their hierarchy only look after themselves?

Will such blatant flaunting of our laws undermine the undeserved respect and corrupt influence of this criminal organisation?

And will Australian officials do anything about it if Pell does decide to hide out in criminal friendly Rome?

Or will the excuse of a prestigious Vatican posting make hiding from justice okay?

These are far more interesting questions than the one the Vatican is trying to keep world attention glued to, “who will be the next pope?”

News flash – it will be a rich and arrogant old man in a dress who spends his life playing dress ups and demands to wield ultimate moral authority over billions while being himself a moral vacuum.

And nothing but the name will change.

Now can we please get back to trying to protect children?

Stay safe everyone.

VV