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| Cardinal George Pell to give evidence at child abuse inquiry | Cardinal George Pell to give evidence at child abuse inquiry |
| (2 days later) | |
| Australia's most senior Catholic has been urged to face up to child sex crimes committed by members of the church and to apologise when he appears before a parliamentary inquiry. | Australia's most senior Catholic has been urged to face up to child sex crimes committed by members of the church and to apologise when he appears before a parliamentary inquiry. |
| Cardinal George Pell will be the last witness to give evidence at Victoria's child sex abuse inquiry on Monday. | Cardinal George Pell will be the last witness to give evidence at Victoria's child sex abuse inquiry on Monday. |
| The Victorian premier, Denis Napthine, has called on him to be open and honest with the public about the church's handling of child sexual abuse within its ranks. | The Victorian premier, Denis Napthine, has called on him to be open and honest with the public about the church's handling of child sexual abuse within its ranks. |
| "It's time for George Pell, on behalf of the Catholic church, to be open and frank, not only with the inquiry but with the people of Victoria and Australia," Napthine said. | "It's time for George Pell, on behalf of the Catholic church, to be open and frank, not only with the inquiry but with the people of Victoria and Australia," Napthine said. |
| "I think he should be fully apologetic, should be absolutely sorry about what has occurred in the Catholic church and some of the actions of the Catholic church." | "I think he should be fully apologetic, should be absolutely sorry about what has occurred in the Catholic church and some of the actions of the Catholic church." |
| Co-founder of the Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN) Leonie Sheedy said she wanted Pell to face up to crimes committed against children by members of the Catholic church. | Co-founder of the Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN) Leonie Sheedy said she wanted Pell to face up to crimes committed against children by members of the Catholic church. |
| CLAN will protest outside parliament before Pell appears as a witness, she says. The protest will include a poster depicting him in a photo with paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, labelled "mates". | CLAN will protest outside parliament before Pell appears as a witness, she says. The protest will include a poster depicting him in a photo with paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, labelled "mates". |
| The father of two of the victims, Anthony Foster, said: "George Pell is going to be in a very different environment ... and I think that is what [Melbourne archbishop Denis] Hart came up against last week. | The father of two of the victims, Anthony Foster, said: "George Pell is going to be in a very different environment ... and I think that is what [Melbourne archbishop Denis] Hart came up against last week. |
| "What we have had in the past was the church controlling the information. Here we have a situation where they are going to be questioned by the parliament of Victoria. | "What we have had in the past was the church controlling the information. Here we have a situation where they are going to be questioned by the parliament of Victoria. |
| "He is not able to refuse to answer them." | "He is not able to refuse to answer them." |
| Foster's two daughters were raped by Melbourne priest Kevin O'Donnell while they were in primary school. | Foster's two daughters were raped by Melbourne priest Kevin O'Donnell while they were in primary school. |
| He said his personal experience with Pell, current Sydney archbishop and former archbishop of Melbourne, had been typical of the reception his family had experienced from the church as a whole. | He said his personal experience with Pell, current Sydney archbishop and former archbishop of Melbourne, had been typical of the reception his family had experienced from the church as a whole. |
| "We experienced a total lack of empathy from him," Foster said. | "We experienced a total lack of empathy from him," Foster said. |
| Archbishop Hart appeared before the inquiry last Monday and admitted the church had covered up abuses. | Archbishop Hart appeared before the inquiry last Monday and admitted the church had covered up abuses. |
| He laid the blame at the feet of deceased former Melbourne archbishop Sir Thomas Francis "Frank" Little. | He laid the blame at the feet of deceased former Melbourne archbishop Sir Thomas Francis "Frank" Little. |
| Foster fears Pell will do the same. | Foster fears Pell will do the same. |
| "What I'm expecting to hear are the same sort of excuses and platitudes that we have heard from previous members of hierarchy of the Catholic church," Foster said. | "What I'm expecting to hear are the same sort of excuses and platitudes that we have heard from previous members of hierarchy of the Catholic church," Foster said. |
| "We heard Hart try and put all the blame on Archbishop Little." | "We heard Hart try and put all the blame on Archbishop Little." |
| Judy Courtin, a PhD student studying sexual assault in the Catholic church, agreed. | Judy Courtin, a PhD student studying sexual assault in the Catholic church, agreed. |
| "He will be basically trying to avoid any personal prosecutions ... both civil and perhaps criminal," Courtin said. | "He will be basically trying to avoid any personal prosecutions ... both civil and perhaps criminal," Courtin said. |
| "Priority number two will be continuing to try and protect the church broadly. | "Priority number two will be continuing to try and protect the church broadly. |
| "He will do that by saying Frank Little was responsible for everything." | "He will do that by saying Frank Little was responsible for everything." |
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