BishopAccountability.org

What can we expect from Cardinal George Pell's testimony to the child abuse royal commission?

By Lisa Millar
ABC News
February 27, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-28/what-to-expect-from-cardinal-pells-royal-commission-appearance/7205710

Cardinal George Pell is due to give evidence to the royal commission on Monday morning.
Photo by Tony Gentile

The royal commission has received evidence by video link before but it is normally from the controlled environment of a court room. Because of the speed with which this session has been organised, the four-star Hotel Quirinale was chosen.

It had a room large enough to fit the expected number of media and supporters and the facilities to assist with this logistically complicated exercise.

Seats for 168 people have been provided in the Verdi Room. There are strict rules regarding media coverage.

No photography or filming is allowed of the room or those in it.

Cardinal Pell will sit at a table by himself at the front and his evidence will be streamed live back to the royal commission in Sydney.

There will be no cameras focused on the audience in Rome.

Cardinal Pell is expected to be asked about several different matters including claims that:

  • He tried to silence a victim;
  • He ridiculed a victim's complaint of abuse;
  • He knew offending priests were being moved from parish to parish

The former Melbourne and Sydney archbishop is now in charge of the Vatican's finances.

Experienced Vatican reporters will be attending the hearing but many struggle to reconcile the media reports in Australia about Cardinal Pell with his reputation in Rome.

He is regarded as one of the "new guard" tasked with cleaning up the Vatican, something they say he is doing successfully.




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