Tim Minchin Thanks Supporters and Lashes out at Cardinal Pell Following Song
news.com.au
AUSTRALIAN composer Tim Minchin has said Cardinal George Pell should “get on his knees and wash [the] feet” of the sexual abuse survivors travelling to Rome to meet him. In a post on his Facebook page following the release of his song Come Home Cardinal Pell, the brains behind musical Matilda thanked the generosity of those who had bought the song and donated funds to survivors of abuse carried out by those within the church. “I personally believe it would be appropriate for him to get on his knees and wash their feet,” he wrote. “I have great admiration for the survivors and their loved ones who have campaigned for years to have their voices heard. They have fought against a hugely wealthy institution that has a vested interest in quieting and discrediting them.” “To the many survivors of abuse from all over the country who have written to me since the song came out, thank you so much for taking the time. Your messages have made me smile and cry ... and feel just so angry for you. Please know that you are heard.” Come Home Cardinel Pell On Friday up to 20 victims of sexual abuse and their supporters left Australia on a 16,000km journey to Rome to hear Cardinal Pell testify at the Royal Commission into institutional responses to sexual abuse. Many of them were able to travel as a result of a crowd-funding campaign that raised more than $200,000, largely thanks to the song penned by Tim Minchin and profile from The Project hosts Gorgi Coughlan and Meshel Laurie. It’s the third time the Cardinal, who is number three in the Vatican and in charge of the finances, will face the inquiry who want to know whether he knew about heinous sex crimes against children taking place on his watch. Victims allege Cardinal Pell was complicit in moving offending priests among parishes and he has been accused of bribing one victim. Pell denies he knew what was going on and said he would not have been complicit in such conversations. That’s despite one of Australia’s worst paedophiles, Gerald Ridsdale, admitting his behaviour was “no secret” in the community.
While some have been offended by the content of Mr Minchin’s song in which he calls Cardinal Pell “scum” and a “coward”, he said “this is the language of anger”. “I owe George Pell no reverence beyond that which he has earned through his words and deeds. I, and many other Australians, are angry. “If you don’t understand why, perhaps it’s just a failure of imagination. Perhaps you need to picture one of the victims as your nine-year-old son or daughter?” he wrote. Cardinal Pell will testify to the Royal Commission at 8am AEDT on Monday.
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