SYDNEY Catholic Archbishop George Pell said he was quoted out of context when it was reported he said abortion was a worse moral scandal than priests sexually abusing young people.
The archbishop was attending a World Youth Day forum in Toronto when Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported the contentious comment.
Arriving back in Australia yesterday, Dr Pell released a statement defending himself.
"I repeated my view that clerical sexual abuse is an enormous moral scandal," he said.
"I went on to state that there are other grave moral scandals in society, which receive little media coverage. Abortion would be a prime example."
Dr Pell's clarification comes as Brisbane's Anglican diocese draws up draft guidelines that would bar suspected church sex offenders from working in positions where they could re-offend.
The new protocol, being drafted parallel to the diocese's inquiry into the past handling of allegations of abuse, recommends the Church help victims even in circumstances where they are not compelled to by law. It also suggests anyone who learns of abusive behaviour report to the head of their organisation.
Dr Pell called on the community to take the issue of abortion as seriously and compassionately as the Church took the issue of sexual abuse by its priests.
