Sex Abuse Survivors Outraged As George Pell Remains In Rome

By Eoin Blackwell
HuffingtPost
February 7, 2016

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/02/07/abuse-george-pell_n_9184496.html?utm_hp_ref=australia

Survivors of abuse at Catholic orphanages say they are bitterly disappointed by a decision by the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse to allow Cardinal George Pell to give evidence via video link.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Monday excused Pell from giving evidence in person, instead allowing him to appear before the inquiry via video link from Rome.

He is expected to give evidence on church abuse and the management of abusive priests in Ballarat.

Commission Chair, Justice Peter McClellan, said he accepted medical evidence there would be a risk to the 74-year-old's health if he is forced to fly to Australia to give evidence.

"There is a risk to his health if he undertook such travel at the present time," McClellan said while delivering his ruling on Monday.