Black ribbon tied outside commission

The Australian
February 29, 2016

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/black-ribbon-tied-outside-commission/news-story/671d64686b48a9884961cd24fe4ddecd

Black ribbon tied outside commission

A black ribbon has been tied around a tree outside the abuse royal commission hearing room in Sydney where Cardinal George Pell's evidence by video link will be transmitted from Rome.

The ribbon was put there to mark the death on Sunday of 71-year-old Gary O'Neill, who was raised in a Catholic Church boys' orphanage in Westmead Sydney, said Leonie Sheedy who heads up a survivor support organisation.

Members of Care Leavers' Australasia Network, linked hands and held a silent vigil for Mr O'Neill and hundreds like him, who suffered at the hands of Catholic clergy.

Ms Sheedy said Mr O'Neill had suffered awful abuse as a child at the St Vincent's Boys' Orphanage.

People have been gathering outside Governor Macquarie Tower in Sydney's CBD where the commission is sitting on Monday.

Under a large red banner calling on the Pope to sack Cardinal Pell, Catherine Dooley, from Victoria said that she and others in the state were "outraged by the lack of transparency and accountability" of the Catholic clergy.

Ms Dooley, was among those who started a "Sack Pell" campaign 18 months ago.

She said there was widespread support from Catholics who felt that the clergy and hierarchy treated the laity "with disdain".