ROME
news.com.au
CARDINAL George Pell missed delivering his usual Sunday mass at the magnificent Domus Australia in Rome, but he was very much in the thoughts of the small congregation and clearly front of mind among senior clergy of the Catholic Church.
The Very Reverend Terence Bell twice mentioned Pell by name during his delivery of Sunday mass at the Domus which is situated in the middle of Rome, the heartland of the Catholic Church. Pell often gives mass at the Domus, which is the Australian Catholic church’s presence in Rome but he missed this week in preparation for his four day appearance before the Royal Commission via video link this morning.
Reverend Bell said in his opening address that he prayed for Cardinal Pell. Then during the prayers he alluded to the battering the church has received in light of the clergy sexual abuse. He said: “we pray especially for Cardinal Pell, and in particular the future of the Church. The truth will set us free, we must look forward not back.”
But only five people were at the Domus mass to hear and give the prayers for Cardinal Pell.
Outside the church, several coloured ribbons had been tied to the window grates, but it was unknown if this was in support of Loud Fence, the support group that has encouraged ribbons on church property to acknowledge the victims of child sexual abuse.
Earlier, the Vatican appeared to want to distance itself from the Australian Royal Commission into church child abuse and Cardinal George Pell’s much anticipated appearance at its public hearings in the Italian capital.
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