Pell Floats Plan for Child Sex Abuse Research Centre, by Sherele Moody, Coffs Coast Advocate, March 5, 2016

Pell Floats Plan for Child Sex Abuse Research Centre

By Sherele Moody
Coffs Coast Advocate
March 5, 2016

http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/anthony-foster-was-there-when-victims/2952047/

Anthony Foster, member of the Australian group of relatives and victims of priestly sex abuses, shows reporters the photo of his two daughters who were both abused by the same priest. One of them later committed suicide. Mr Foster was among the survivors who met with Australian Cardinal George Pell on Thursday March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

Anthony Foster, member of the Australian group of relatives and victims of priestly sex abuses, shows reporters the photo of his two daughters who were both abused by the same priest. One of them later committed suicide. Mr Foster was among the survivors who met with Australian Cardinal George Pell on Thursday March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

ANTHONY Foster was there when victims of clergy child sex abuse met Cardinal George Pell for an hour in Rome yesterday.

Two of Mr Foster's three daughters, Emma and Katie, were both assaulted by a Melbourne priest.

Emma later took her own life.

The group of survivors and victims' relatives said they were happy with their emotional and exhaustive session of sharing personal stories of loss and betrayal with Cardinal Pell.

Afterwards, the Cardinal said he would look into setting up a research centre in Ballarat to be "an effective centre for the example of practical help for all those wounded by the scourge of sexual abuse".

He would also work to better protect children and young people.

Cardinal Pell copped widespread criticism this week for consistently denying before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that he knew children were being abused while he worked in the Ballarat Diocese.