"We Really Want to Hear the Truth" - Australian Abuse Survivors Fly to Rome

TVNZ
February 26, 2016

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/we-really-want-to-hear-the-truth-australian-abuse-survivors-fly-rome

A group of Australian survivors of child sex abuse by Catholic clergy are flying to Rome tonight to watch Cardinal George Pell give evidence to Australia's abuse royal commission.

Cardinal Pell, a former Ballarat priest and Melbourne archbishop who is now in charge of the Vatican's finances, will give evidence about the church's handling of abuse in the Ballarat diocese and Melbourne archdiocese on Monday.

Australian Cardinal George Pell.

Some other survivors and the parents of victims have already arranged private flights.

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"He's worked his way right through the hierarchy right up to the top of the Catholic Church so we really want to hear the truth about what happened," Chrissie Foster, whose daughters were abused, told the ABC at Melbourne Airport this morning.

"It's about time we saw some action out of the Catholic Church so maybe hearing the whole truth from him we might actually start to see some action."

Cardinal Pell will give evidence to Australia's long-running Royal Commision into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse, via a videolink from a Rome hotel, after his lawyers said health concerns prevented his travel to Australia.