Papal commission member steps up attack on Cardinal Pell

June 02, 2015

Escalating his attack on Cardinal George Pell, Peter Saunders—who told an Australian television audience that the cardinal has an “almost sociopathic” approach to abuse victims—has now suggested that the cardinal is using his influence to restrict the work of the papal commission on sexual abuse.

Saunders, who sits on that papal commission, said that the group’s effectiveness will be largely determined by the level of its funding. Noting that Cardinal Pell heads the Secretariat for the Economy, which supervises the Vatican budget process, he charged that “my understanding is that there is some financial pressure already in this particular area and I'm pretty appalled at that."

Saunders said that budget restrictions would hinder the work of the abuse commission, and asked rhetorically, “who’s in charge of funding and resources in the Vatican? You know the answer to that."

 

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Further information:

• Funding risk for papal commission: adviser (News.com)
• Cardinal Pell weighs legal action after harsh criticism by member of papal abuse commission (CWN, 6/1)