AUSTRALIA
Illawarra Mercury
By CATHERINE ARMITAGE March 27, 2014
In his last words at the child sex abuse Royal Commission, Cardinal George Pell apologised to the lawyer John Ellis for “the hurt caused him by the mistakes made, admitted by me and my Archdiocesan personnel”.
But he could not bring himself to look at the frail, exhausted Ellis, who sat three metres away.
On Monday the Cardinal takes up a new position in charge of Vatican finances in Rome. He went from the commission to speak to the faithful at Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. So this was, in its way, a farewell to the Australian public.
But Cardinal Pell’s request to make a statement from the witness box in the final moments of the twelfth day of the hearing on Mr Ellis’ tragic case – “Might I say a few words in conclusion, have permission to, please?” – was refused by the Royal Commission chair, Justice Peter McClellan.
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