AUSTRALIA
SBS
Source: AAP
21 MAY 2015
Nicky Davis, leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, says Cardinal Pell must appear before the commission to answer claims against him.
Survivors told the commission’s Ballarat hearings Cardinal Pell ignored their reports about clergy sex abuse.
Cardinal George Pell has denied claims he bribed a victim of a pedophile priest to keep quiet and dismissed another victim’s complaints as ‘ridiculous’.
“It is vastly inappropriate to respond to sworn evidence by courageous survivors with a media statement that callously dismisses their experience,” Ms Davis said on Thursday.
“If Cardinal Pell is at all genuine in his claims to recognise the seriousness of the crime of sexual violation of defenceless children, he would voluntarily return to Australia to give evidence under oath to the royal commission.”
Cardinal Pell denied covering up priests’ crimes or offering bribes to victims to remain silent, as was alleged at the commission.
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