George Pell evidence: royal commission says victims can be present in Rome

By Melissa Davey
Guardian
February 21, 2016

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/22/george-pell-evidence-royal-commission-says-victims-can-be-present-in-rome

Cardinal George Pell holding the response of the Catholic archdiocese to sexual abuse during a press conference in Sydney in 2012. Photo by Roslan Rahman

Arrangements are being made for child sexual abuse survivors to witness Cardinal George Pell give evidence in person in Rome after the chair of the commission found their request “not unreasonable”.

The third round of hearings into abuse that occurred within the Diocese of Ballarat began on Monday morning. Justice Peter McClellan opened by addressing the campaign by survivors and their supporters to go to Rome to see Pell’s evidence on 29 February.

“The royal commission has received requests from some survivors that they be able to be present in the room where Cardinal Pell give evidence in Rome next week,” McClellan said before delivering the opening address.

“The commission considers that to be a reasonable request. With the assistance of the Australian embassy in Rome we have located a room in a hotel in central Rome which I am advised has the technical facilities to ensure an effective signal to Australia.”

The room would be tested on Monday, McClellan said. He would confirm on Tuesday whether it was suitable.

However, McClellan did not say whether the room, if found to be suitable, would be open to the public

Lawyers for Pell twice tendered medical documents to the commission that said Pell was too unwell to fly to Australia to give evidence in person due to a heart condition, and McClellan last month agreed to allow him to give his evidence from Rome. It prompted a fundraising campaign to fly victims to Rome to see his evidence. Pell has offered to meet survivors.

The previous two Ballarat-focused hearings heard evidence that while he was an assistant priest at Ballarat East from 1973 to 1983, Pell allegedly was involved in moving a notorious pedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, between parishes.

Pell also worked at the parish during a period when several Catholic priests were later found to have assaulted young boys, the commission has previously heard. He has denied any knowledge of abuse occurring within Ballarat institutions while he worked there.

Over the next fortnight, the commission’s hearings will focus on the Christian Brothers teaching community in Ballarat and the role Christian Brothers staff had in abusing children and responding to allegations of abuse.

Andrew Collins, who was abused from the age of seven by four different men in Ballarat, and who is now a spokesman for the Ballarat and District Survivors Group, said a group of survivors were planning to leave for Rome on Saturday.

He said he glad was that McClellan had seemed to indicate Pell’s evidence in Rome would be open to survivors, and that he would be part of the group going.

“We’ve been waiting for a while, now we can get to it, get the tickets booked, and get a plan,” Collins said.

“I’m looking forward to going over there and just bearing witness to Pell’s testimony. When we had to give evidence, it was very hard to stand up in front of everybody and do that. It’s important George Pell goes through that same process, not just sitting by himself in a room which will be very easy. He should have to see people, look them in the eyes, and know that they’re there when he gives the answers.

“It’s also very important for our healing to be a part of that process.”

About 15 people, including counsellors and support staff, would be going, he said.

Andrew Foster, whose two daughters were abused by a notorious pedophile priest within the Catholic church, said the public fundraising campaign to send abuse survivors to Rome showed an “amazing level of support” for survivors and their families.

“Four-and-a-half thousand people donating $200,000 ... that’s directly to Ballarat survivors, so they’re the ones who will be going [to Rome],” he said.

Paul Levey, a survivor of notorious pedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, will be flying to Rome on Wednesday. He has to fly earlier than the others because severe deep vein thrombosis means he requires a 24-hour stopover along the way to receive life-saving injections.

“My medication is all packed,” he said. “I’m ready to go.”