AUSTRALIA
The Australian

AUGUST 13, 2014

Dan Box
Crime Reporter
Sydney

CARDINAL George Pell will give evidence by video-link from the Vatican to a royal commission next week after the Catholic Church yesterday said it would abandon the process by which it investigates claims of child abuse committed by its priests.

Key among these is the Melbourne Response, introduced by Cardinal Pell in 1996, and which will be the focus of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearing, beginning on Monday.

The Melbourne Response, as well as the Towards Healing process operated elsewhere within the church, have dealt with hundreds of victims, many of whom have criticised a lack of independence during the handling of their case.

Cardinal Pell, who now is responsible for the Vatican’s finances, has previously defended both schemes, describing the Melbourne Response as “first and foremost about helping victims”.

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