Cardinal George Pell's barrister accused of 'insulting' father of alleged victim; the man piaba live

6. To the victims of abuse and their families

You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated. Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of what happened to you, no one would listen. Those of you who were abused in residential institutions must have felt that there was no escape from your sufferings. It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the Church. In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel. 

PASTORAL LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE BENEDICT XVI
From the Vatican, 19 March 2010, on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph

By court reporter Emma Younger

16-3-2018
ABC News

The father of one of Cardinal George Pell's alleged victims has branded Cardinal Pell's defence barrister "insulting", after being accused of "making up" allegations during a heated courtroom exchange.

The man gave evidence on the eighth day of Cardinal Pell's committal hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court as he fights historical sexual offence charges.

The 76-year-old's hearing reopened to the public on Wednesday afternoon after it finished hearing evidence from multiple complainants in the case.

The father of one of Cardinal Pell's alleged victims, who cannot be identified, told the hearing on Thursday one of his sons visited him in 2015 to tell him his brother alleged he had been offended against by two priests on separate occasions.

He said his son named Cardinal Pell as one of the alleged offenders.

The man said he immediately called his other son, but didn't ask specifically who had allegedly offended against him.

"He would not talk about it. He was just abused," he said.

"That's all he told me.

"I was more concerned about the fact that he had been abused by priests."

Defence barrister Robert Richter QC repeatedly asked the man why he did not name Cardinal Pell as his son's offender in his police statement.

The man said that he believed what he had told police was "sufficient" and that he was naming Cardinal Pell in court today.

Mr Richter accused the man of inventing the fact Cardinal Pell had been involved after making his police statement.

"You just made that up after you made your statement," he said.

The man replied: "That is an insult. No."

"It may be an insult but it's true, is it not?" Mr Richter asked.

The man responded: "Absolutely not."

Magistrate Belinda Wallington intervened, telling Mr Richter that what the man had told the hearing was "not a huge stretch" because he mentioned "priests in the plural" in his police statement.

Later, she again intervened when Mr Richter suggested the man hadn't been very close to his son over the years.

The man responded that he found the suggestion "absolutely insulting".

"I really think that's totally disrespectful to say that to a father," he said.

Cardinal Pell took notes throughout the hearing and was supported in court by a friend and church official Katrina Lee.

The hearing before Magistrate Belinda Wallington continues.

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