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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| George Pell fully apologetic for clergy sex abuse | George Pell fully apologetic for clergy sex abuse |
| (4 months later) | |
| Australia's most senior Catholic Cardinal George Pell says he's fully apologetic and absolutely sorry for sexual abuse that has occurred at the hands of clergy. | Australia's most senior Catholic Cardinal George Pell says he's fully apologetic and absolutely sorry for sexual abuse that has occurred at the hands of clergy. |
| "I'm fully apologetic and absolutely sorry," Cardinal Pell told the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse. | "I'm fully apologetic and absolutely sorry," Cardinal Pell told the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse. |
| "That is the basis for everything which I'll say now." | "That is the basis for everything which I'll say now." |
| Answering a question on the high rate of reports of child sex abuse, he said the Catholic Church dealt with an enormous number of children. | Answering a question on the high rate of reports of child sex abuse, he said the Catholic Church dealt with an enormous number of children. |
| Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney and former archbishop of Melbourne, said celibacy might be a factor in the high rate of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. | Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney and former archbishop of Melbourne, said celibacy might be a factor in the high rate of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. |
| "That might have been a factor in some cases," he said. | "That might have been a factor in some cases," he said. |
| Cardinal Pell said he was acting on the advice of others when he accompanied pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale to court when he pleaded guilty to charges against nine boys 20 years ago. | Cardinal Pell said he was acting on the advice of others when he accompanied pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale to court when he pleaded guilty to charges against nine boys 20 years ago. |
| "It would have been better if I had other advice, but I was the one who made the decision," he said. | "It would have been better if I had other advice, but I was the one who made the decision," he said. |
| "I've always been on the side of victims." | "I've always been on the side of victims." |
| He said that when he had said Ridsdale's crimes were mistakes, he did not mean to suggest the offences were not criminal. | He said that when he had said Ridsdale's crimes were mistakes, he did not mean to suggest the offences were not criminal. |
| Ridsdale had committed "many crimes, terrible crimes", he said. | Ridsdale had committed "many crimes, terrible crimes", he said. |
| "That word was just an expression on my lips," he told the Victorian parliamentary inquiry. | "That word was just an expression on my lips," he told the Victorian parliamentary inquiry. |
| "I didn't mean in the slightest to suggest they were not criminal." | "I didn't mean in the slightest to suggest they were not criminal." |
| He said his sympathy for Ridsdale's victims was total. | He said his sympathy for Ridsdale's victims was total. |
| He hadn't known Ridsdale well, despite having lived with him for a year. | He hadn't known Ridsdale well, despite having lived with him for a year. |
| "I wasn't in any sense a close friend of his." | "I wasn't in any sense a close friend of his." |
| Cardinal Pell admitted the Catholic Church had recognised pedophilia was a problem in Australia as early as 1988. | Cardinal Pell admitted the Catholic Church had recognised pedophilia was a problem in Australia as early as 1988. |
| Inquiry chair Georgie Crozier put it to Cardinal Pell the church was "very well aware" there was a major problem "within its own ranks" in 1988. | Inquiry chair Georgie Crozier put it to Cardinal Pell the church was "very well aware" there was a major problem "within its own ranks" in 1988. |
| "Yes," Cardinal Pell said. | "Yes," Cardinal Pell said. |
| "I don't think anybody then had a recognition of the full extent that would emerge. | "I don't think anybody then had a recognition of the full extent that would emerge. |
| "But it was in the press, there was certainly a recognition it was a problem." | "But it was in the press, there was certainly a recognition it was a problem." |
| He said the church realised it was an "emerging problem". | He said the church realised it was an "emerging problem". |
| "Certainly we recognised that." | "Certainly we recognised that." |
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