AUSTRALIA
ABC News
Catholic Cardinal George Pell has attacked reports casting doubt on the legitimacy on his illness, which has stopped him appearing at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Cardinal Pell was to appear at the inquiry on Wednesday but his lawyer told the hearing on Friday that Cardinal Pell was unwell and could not travel to give evidence in person.
He released a statement this afternoon in which he said the commission had reviewed and accepted the medical evidence tendered, and said reports referring to an “alleged” illness were misleading and mischievous.
“The royal commission reviewed this medical evidence and accepted it as grounds for deferring Cardinal Pell’s attendance until February,” said the statement, attributed to an unnamed spokesperson for Cardinal Pell.
“The commission also required this personal information to be treated as confidential.”
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