Fr. Lombardi SJ responds to journalists' queries on Card. Pell

(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., made a clarification on Monday in response to journalists’ questions regarding statements made by  one of the 17 members of the Commission for the Protection of Minors, Peter Saunders, during a broadcast on Australian television, regarding Australian Cardinal George Pell and his record of leadership in the clerical sex abuse crisis in his country.

Fr. Lombardi said that Saunders’ remarks were made in an entirely personal way and not on behalf of the Commission.

Fr. Lombardi went on to say that Cardinal Pell has always responded carefully and thoroughly to the accusations and questions posed by the Australian authorities, and that his position has been made known again in recent days by a public declaration on his part, which must be considered reliable and worthy of respect and attention.

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Vatican City, 1 June 2015 (VIS) – In response to questions from journalists, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., explained that the statement made by Mr. Peter Saunders (one of the 17 members of the Commission for the Protection of Minors) during a television broadcast was evidently given in an entirely personal way and not on behalf of the Commission, which is not competent to investigate or to pronounce specific judgements on individual cases.

Moreover, Cardinal George Pell has always responded carefully and thoroughly to the accusations and questions posed by the competent Australian authorities, and his position has been made known again in recent days by a public declaration on his part, which must be considered reliable and worthy of respect and attention.