Australian scandal hits church and hits state

When the Most Rev. Peter Hollingworth was named to the symbolic post of governor general of Australia last year, he held a news conference - and promptly declared it would be his last until he left the job.

But just eight months into his five-year term, Mr. Hollingworth hasn't been able to keep that promise. In recent weeks, the former Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane has been using media appearances to fend off claims he covered up child abuse allegations against priests while in his old job - and to fight growing demands from Australians that he resign.

Despite its unique political impact, Hollingworth's case fits into an emerging international pattern, as church officials in nations ranging from Spain to Ireland to the United States have been caught up in allegations of sexual abuse. American Catholics have been riveted by an unfolding scandal involving priests accused (and in one case, convicted) of child abuse - and an alleged cover-up by Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law. In Poland, allegations that the archbishop of Poznan sexually harassed seminarians and priests have spawned a Vatican inquiry and shocked residents of the famously devout, 90 percent- Catholic country.

This means Australia's imbroglio is adding fuel to an international debate about the way organized religion polices - or protects - its own members, and the bonds of trust that keep communities intact. But because of Hollingworth's unique role as Australia's titular head of state, his case is different from the rest. It's directly shaking Australia's constitutional and political foundations.

Now swirling around what is technically the highest office in the land is a controversy that has prompted even Prime Minister John Howard to warn of a possible "constitutional earthquake." The claims come at a particularly awkward moment for Hollingworth: As Queen Elizabeth's representative in Australia, he will greet the monarch when she arrives in Adelaide at the start of her five-day visit today.

Mr. Howard appointed Hollingworth to the post and is the only person who, in real terms, can fire him (by recommending his dismissal directly to the current British monarch). But to date he has backed away from doing that, despite opinion polls showing two-thirds of Australians want to see Hollingworth step down. This makes the embattled governor general the least popular since 1975 when Sir John Kerr dismissed the government of Gough Whitlam.

"It's an awkward situation for all of us," Howard told reporters this week.

"But I do ask people to stop and pause and think for a moment."

Hollingworth, who has refused to step down, says he regrets not doing a better job in handling the allegations of abuse while he was Archbishop. Victims claim he dismissed allegations too easily and he has also been accused of protecting loyal aides facing allegations of abuse.

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