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Cardinal George Pell avoids giving evidence in person at child abuse royal commission

Cardinal George Pell will not have to return to Australia to give evidence in person at the child abuse royal commission.

Instead, he will appear via video link.

Cardinal Pell, who's based in Rome where he manages the Vatican's finances, is due to front hearings later this month in Ballarat.

He was initially supposed to give evidence in December, but cancelled at the eleventh hour due to a worsening heart condition.

Cardinal Pell has consistently denied any knowledge of child sex abuse in the Ballarat archdiocese.