Survivors arrive in Rome

Sky News
February 28, 2016

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2016/02/28/survivors-arrive-in-rome.html

The stage is set in Rome for George Pell's appearance before the Royal Commission, with survivors of sexual abuse arriving in the Italian capital to hear Pell give evidence tomorrow.

More than $200,000 in crowd funding donations has helped the victims, family members and advocates make it to Rome for the Commission focusing on the abuse of vulnerable children in the town of Ballarat during the 1970's and 1980's.

Pell had earlier argued he was too unwell to return home to Australia to give evidence and will instead appear via a video link from Rome, with the travelling survivors in the same room.

The Cardinal has been keeping a low profile ahead his appearance, but was spotted emerging from his home near the Vatican.

He confirmed he's planning on meeting the victims that have travelled to be at his appearance in person.

'I'll be very pleased to meet them, very pleased,' he told media as he got into a car.

It won't be the first time Pell has responded to allegations he turned a blind eye to the abuse of children by members of the clergy.

A young Father George Pell insisted he had no idea primary school chaplain Father Gerald Risdale and his four Christian Brothers staff were interfering with the students.

It has been a similar story for the rest of Pell's career, saying he had no knowledge, no-one had approached him about the abuse and no-one warned him what was going on.

These claims have been contradicted by a number of witnesses before the Commission though, who have said time and time again they went to Pell with allegations of abuse and were turned away.

The Commission will not examine allegations of abuse by Cardinal George Pell after reported emerged last week that a Victorian Police taskforce were looking into multiple offences Pell allegedly committed on children while in Ballarat.

He has already publicly denied the accusations which for now fall outside of the remit of the Royal Commission.