AUSTRALIA
NEWS.com.au
By Daniel Fogarty and Genevieve Gannon
From: AAP
May 27, 2013
AUSTRALIA’S most senior Catholic did nothing to ease the pain caused by clergy sexual abuse when he gave an “insincere” apology, victims and their supporters say.
Cardinal George Pell told the Victorian parliamentary inquiry he was “fully apologetic and absolutely sorry” for the abuse at the hands of clergy.
During intense questioning on Monday that lasted more than four hours, Cardinal Pell admitted that abuse had been covered up, documents destroyed and priests had been moved on.
A fear of scandal led to the cover-up and the primary reason would have been to protect the reputation of the church, he said.
He also admitted a priest’s resignation letter had been backdated and made no mention of his crimes.
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