Australia’s 60 Minutes current affairs programme has described senior Catholic churchmen as “out of touch” for supporting Cardinal George Pell.
Journalist Tara Brown opened the programme on Sunday with an editorial stating Church leaders had alienating victims of abuse by issuing statements supportive of the cardinal.
“The Catholic Church in Australia stands in crisis,” Ms Brown declared within the first ten seconds of the programme.
“The men who lead it have put themselves on a collision course with the victims of child sexual abuse by expressing their unfailing support for George Pell.”
Last week, the programme interviewed Peter Saunders, a member of the commission that advises the Pope on the protection of children.
Mr Saunders made a number of allegations about Cardinal Pell relating to whether he had knowledge of the actions of paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale.
Cardinal Pell strongly denied the allegations.