ROME
Reuters
ROME/SYDNEY | BY PHILIP PULLELLA AND JANE WARDELL
Australian Cardinal George Pell said on Sunday the Catholic Church had made “enormous mistakes” as he became the highest-ranking Vatican official to testify on sexual abuse of children in the Church.
Pell, 74, held up a Bible as he was sworn in to answer questions by Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse in front of victims in a Rome hotel room.
Around 15 abuse victims and support staff traveled to Rome on the back of a crowd-funding campaign to see the Vatican’s treasurer give evidence after he said he was unable to travel to his native Australia because of heart problems.
While strictly speaking an Australian affair concerning events decades ago, the hearing has taken on wider implications about accountability of Church leaders because of Pell’s high position in the Vatican, where he serves as finance minister.
“The Church has made enormous mistakes and is working to remedy those but the Church in many places, certainly in Australia, has mucked things up, has let people down,” Pell said as he began answering questions via video link to the commission in Sydney. “I’m not here to defend the indefensible.”
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