Cardinal Pell suffering memories lapses during Royal Commission hearing

Cardinal George Pell has suffered from memory lapses while fronting the Royal Commission.

3AW Mornings producer Heidi Murphy said the Cardinal had been ‘very careful and very pedantic’ during his testimony via video link from Rome.

But most conspicuously, Cardinal Pell has been suffering significant memory lapses.

‘He’s blamed not having total recall, he’s repeatedly said it happened a long time ago,’ Ms Murphy said.

He also branded one of his lapses a ‘senior’s moment’. 

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Cardinal Pell was asked about Monsignor John Day, who died in 1978.

Numerous accusations of abuse arose following his death, and the Cardinal said he was aware of gossip, innuendo, and rumour about the Monsignor.

Ms Murphy said Cardinal Pell was asked if he ever the Monsignor, if he knew the nuns who raised issues, or if there was a police investigation.

But he didn’t know the answer to any of that. 

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