VATICAN CITY
Reuters
VATICAN CITY | BY PHILIP PULLELLA
A Vatican commission on sex abuse distanced itself on Tuesday from criticisms lodged by one of its members against an Australian cardinal but urged Church leaders to move swiftly to achieve justice for victims.
Commission member Peter Saunders of Britain said two days ago on Australian television that Cardinal George Pell should be dismissed over allegations he failed to take action to protect children years ago.
Pell, now in charge of reforming the Vatican’s economic departments, has called Saunders’s comments “false”, “misleading” and “outrageous”, and said he would consult legal advisers.
Tuesday’s statement by the 17-member Vatican commission, which is advising the pope on how to root out sex abuse in the Church, said it “has no jurisdiction to comment on individual cases or inquiries”.
In the television program, Saunders said Pell should be “moved aside” and sent back to Australia to address a government inquiry on sexual abuse, which confirmed on Monday that it would ask Pell to testify.
Pell has said he supports the work of the Australian inquiry, where he has appeared twice, and that he is willing to assist in its work.
The Vatican commission said it was “essential that those in positions of authority in the Church respond promptly, transparently and with the clear intent of enabling justice to be achieved”.
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