Vatican-based Australian cardinal under attack

AUSTRALIA
Radio New Zealand

The allegations came from Peter Saunders, a member of the Vatican’s own commission on child protection.

Mr Saunders told Australian media the cardinal was a “massive thorn” in the side of the papacy.

Cardinal Pell has offered to testify in a major Australian inquiry into institutional child sex abuse.

He is accused of silencing a victim of a paedophile priest and aiding the priest’s move to another parish.

Mr Saunders, who was appointed by Pope Francis last year to the new commission to protect children, on Sunday said Cardinal Pell – the most senior Australian Catholic cardinal – had a “catalogue of denial” about child abuse in the church.

Mr Saunders told Channel Nine TV the cardinal should be sent back to Australia.

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