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Pell has 'full support' of the Pope at abuse inquiry Pell blames bishop for Australia child abuse cover-up
(about 5 hours later)
Cardinal George Pell has said he has the Pope's "full backing", as he testifies for a second day at a hearing into child sex abuse. Cardinal George Pell says he was deceived by a senior clergyman over the activities of a paedophile priest.
The Australian's remarks came before he entered a Rome hotel where he is answering questions by video link. Australia's most senior Catholic is presenting evidence from Rome via video link over several days to an Australian Royal Commission into child sex abuse.
On Tuesday Cardinal Pell was questioned about paedophile Gerald Ridsdale, a priest who was repeatedly moved between parishes in the 1970s and 80s.
He accepted no responsibility for the failure to report Ridsdale's abuse.
Survivors have flown to Rome to see the cardinal testify after he was excused from returning home due to ill health.Survivors have flown to Rome to see the cardinal testify after he was excused from returning home due to ill health.
The Vatican treasurer is being asked whether he knew if paedophiles were active in churches under his watch. 'Implausible'
On the first day of the Royal Commission hearing, the cardinal said that the Catholic Church had made "enormous mistakes" in dealing with claims of sexual abuse. Cardinal Pell repeatedly criticised Ronald Mulkearns, who was bishop of Ballarat between 1971 and 1997, for withholding information about Ridsdale.
"I'm not here to defend the indefensible," Cardinal Pell said via video link. Cardinal Pell was one of the consultors who gave advice to Bishop Mulkearns from 1977 to 1984.
Read more: Cardinal Pell's late night of tough questions Particular attention was paid to a meeting of the consultors that Cardinal Pell attended in 1982, where a decision was taken to move Ridsdale for a sixth time.
Counsel assisting the commissioner, Gail Furness, said it was "implausible" that Cardinal Pell and other priests at the meeting did not know the reason for Ridsdale's relocation.
Cardinal Pell responded: "That is complete nonsense."
'Grave and inexplicable'
He said that responsibility for Ridsdale's relocation lay "overwhelmingly with the bishop", who used "gentle and euphemistic language" to disguise the truth of Risdale's actions.
"I can't nominate another bishop whose actions are so grave and inexplicable … His repeated refusal to act is, I think, absolutely extraordinary," Cardinal Pell said.
The cardinal provoked gasps from survivors earlier in testimony when he said the news of Ridsdale's abuse was "a sad story and it wasn't of much interest to me".
"The suffering, of course, was real and I very much regret that but I had no reason to turn my mind to the extent of the evils that Ridsdale had perpetrated," he said.
Before entering the Rome hotel where he provided his testimony, Pell said he had the Pope's "full backing".
'Indefensible'
On Monday, the first day of the Royal Commission hearing, the cardinal said that the Catholic Church had made "enormous mistakes" in dealing with claims of sexual abuse.
"I'm not here to defend the indefensible," Cardinal Pell said.
"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," he said."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," he said.
Cardinal Pell, who is not accused of sexual abuse, denied knowing about paedophile priests who were active in the Ballarat diocese during his time there as a priest in the 1970s and 1980s.Cardinal Pell, who is not accused of sexual abuse, denied knowing about paedophile priests who were active in the Ballarat diocese during his time there as a priest in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse is holding its second round of inquiries into child sex abuse that occurred in the city of Ballarat in Victoria state.The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse is holding its second round of inquiries into child sex abuse that occurred in the city of Ballarat in Victoria state.
Cardinal Pell was a priest in Ballarat and lived in a seminary with a notorious paedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, in the early 1970s.Cardinal Pell was a priest in Ballarat and lived in a seminary with a notorious paedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, in the early 1970s.
Ridsdale committed more than 130 offences against young boys while working as a chaplain at Ballarat's St Alipius school between the 1960s and the 1980s.Ridsdale committed more than 130 offences against young boys while working as a chaplain at Ballarat's St Alipius school between the 1960s and the 1980s.
Even though Cardinal Pell is not facing criminal charges, detractors have questioned the extent of his knowledge of child abuse, and say it could make his Vatican position untenable.Even though Cardinal Pell is not facing criminal charges, detractors have questioned the extent of his knowledge of child abuse, and say it could make his Vatican position untenable.
In his testimony, Cardinal Pell did admit to hearing "fleeting references" and rumours of "eccentricities" regarding Christian Brothers - priests teaching at Catholic schools.
He was also critical of the former bishop of the Ballarat diocese, Ronald Mulkearns, who allegedly moved Ridsdale from parish to parish.
The cardinal said Bishop Mulkearns' actions were "a catastrophe for victims and the church".
"If effective action had been taken earlier an enormous amount of suffering would have been avoided," he said.
Gerald Ridsdale's nephew David Ridsdale, a victim of abuse, told reporters in Rome that he was pleased with Cardinal Pell's "more conciliatory tone", but criticised his "careful selection of words".
The hearing is expected to run until Wednesday or Thursday Australian time.The hearing is expected to run until Wednesday or Thursday Australian time.
Cardinal Pell and the Royal CommissionCardinal Pell and the Royal Commission