Geoffrey Baron
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Reverend Monsignor Geoffrey (Geoff) Baron was the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne. He has served in a number of Melbourne parishes and also been a celebrant on Mass For You At Home for the past 30 years.[1]
In 2006, he was captured on video as he verbally abused a group of skateboarders, who were provoking him. Footage of the incident was posted on YouTube, but did not receive widespread attention until July 2007 when Australian media noticed it.[2] The video indicates that he attacked a group of skateboarders both verbally and with physical violence.
The Catholic Church has apologised for Fr Baron's actions and he has been granted leave from his duties at the Cathedral while the situation is being considered. But a children's rights spokesperson said Baron's comments were disturbing, and recommended he enrol in an anger management course. [3] Fr Baron also publicly apologised on local radio and has been condemned almost universally from both within and beyond the Church. [4]
Further videos have since come to light showing Fr Baron swearing and physically intimidating skateboarders around St Patrick's Cathedral.
On Tuesday, August 21, 2007 it was announced that Monsignor Baron "freely and spontaneously resigned"[5].
On October 29, 2007 a cartoon featuring the priest was uploaded to YouTube by Australian comedian tristanobrien http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E8FtOpxlwI.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Mass For You At Home - Channel 10 and Aurora on Foxtel
- ^ Priest shamed by abusive outburst - National - smh.com.au
- ^ Priest vs skateboarders shocker | NEWS.com.au
- ^ Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne : Church in Melbourne, Australia
- ^ Joseph Keenan. "Foul-mouth priest 'spontaneously' resign". Christianity Today (Australian Edition) August 21, 2007 (Retrieved August 21, 2007).
