Cardinal George Pell says he was lied to and deceived by a bishop and priests who knew about the child sexual abuse crimes of a fellow clergyman, who was repeatedly moved to new parishes where he continued to offend.
Cardinal Pell told the child abuse royal commission that while he didn't know why Father Gerald Ridsdale was moved on to new parishes in the Victorian diocese of Ballarat in the 1970s, Bishop Ronald Mulkearns and other priests knew of repeated paedophilia allegations.
Commissioner Justice Peter McClellan asked: "You say the bishop deceived you, is that right?"
Cardinal Pell replied: "Unfortunately, correct."
An advisor to the bishop, Monsignor Fiscalini, deceived him as well, Cardinal Pell said.
The commission heard that Bishop Mulkearns, Monsignor Fiscalini and possibly other consultors knew of complaints against Ridsdale as early as 1972.
Ridsdale was repeatedly shifted from one parish to the next as "talk" began among parishioners about his interfering with children.
"It's hard to imagine a greater deception, isn't it," Commissioner McClellan asked.
Cardinal Pell replied: "It probably would be possible to imagine a greater deception but it is a gross deception."
Cardinal Pell told the commission he understood there were "difficulties" with Ridsdale but was not told they involved pedophilia, prompting Commissioner McClellan to ask if he was lied to.
"So we're in the position where you were deceived by the bishop and deceived by Monsignor Fiscalini and someone - possibly the bishop - has lied to you, is that right?" The commissioner asked.
Cardinal Pell replied: "That is correct."
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