VATICAN CITY
9 News

AAP

The Vatican has praised Cardinal George Pell and a group of child sex abuse survivors who flew to Rome to hear him give evidence by video link to a royal commission sitting in Sydney.

But Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in a statement the “sensationalist” media coverage of Cardinal Pell’s testimony gave the impression the Catholic Church had done little or nothing to address the issue of clergy sex abuse, when that was not the case.

The head of the Holy See press office also said the recent awarding of a best picture Oscar to the film Spotlight about the uncovering of clergy sex abuse in Boston, had a similar sensationalist effect.

Cardinal Pell gave evidence for four nights from Rome’s Quirinale Hotel, admitting the church had made “enormous mistakes” and saying he regretted at times putting the church before victims.

But abuse…