‘Unfinished business’: Ballarat abuse survivor to tie a ribbon at St Mary’s before George Pell funeral

Abuse survivor Paul Auchettl: ‘I’m going to tie ribbons on the fence for the people who are too sick to be there, who have died and can’t be there, and for families who are too angry to be there.’ Photograph: Lisa Martin

When the Ballarat abuse survivor Paul Auchettl flies to Sydney to tie ribbons to the fence outside St Mary’s Cathedral ahead of George Pell’s funeral, he’ll be thinking of a promise the late cardinal made to him last time they met. In 2016, Auchettl flew to Rome as part of a group of survivors who met with Pell during his evidence to the child abuse royal commission.

Auchettl wanted to make Pell understand the profound damage the church’s failings had caused to their home town of Ballarat. In their private meeting, Auchettl says, Pell promised to do something to help.