Cardinal Says Can Meet Australian Sex Abuse Victims in Rome

AUSTRALIA
New York Times

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSFEB. 17, 2016

CANBERRA, Australia — Pope Francis’ finance minister said Thursday that he is prepared to meet in Rome with Australian victims of clergy sex abuse who are angry the cardinal won’t travel to Australia to testify at a government inquiry.

Cardinal George Pell, whom the pope placed in charge of the Vatican’s finances in 2014, is to testify for a third time at Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

But the inquiry ruled two weeks ago that the 74-year-old cleric could give evidence by video from Rome on Feb. 29 because he was too ill to fly to Australia.

Many victims of sex abuse are angry that Australia’s highest-ranking Roman Catholic will not give evidence in person. Australian musician and comedian Tim Minchin has recorded a hit song in which he insults Pell and urges him to return to Australia.

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