AUSTRALIA
9 News
The Vatican are yet to confirm whether Australia’s most senior Catholic priest, Cardinal George Pell, will be well enough to return ahead of his scheduled appearance at the royal commission into institutional responses into child sexual abuse when it resumes next month.
Last month, Cardinal Pell angered child sexual abuse victims when he cancelled his flights just days before he was originally due to appear in Ballarat – citing ill health as the reason for his non-appearance.
The Ballarat sitting was deferred until February, so that Pell could attend when his health had improved.
The royal commission will hold a directions hearing in Sydney on February 5 to determine whether Pell will be well enough to travel to Australia for the resumption of hearings later in the month.
This has not been the only commitment Cardinal Pell has skipped due to poor health.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.