Tim Minchin releases song to raise money to help child sex abuse victims front Cardinal George Pell in Rome

COMEDIAN Tim Minchin has used his razor sharp wit and considerable musical talent to take aim at a new target: Cardinal George Pell.

COMEDIAN Tim Minchin has joined the call for former Melbourne Archbishop George Pell to return to Australia and face the child sex abuse inquiry into the Catholic Church.

Minchin released the song on The Project last night, and says all proceeds from its sale will go to victims of clerical sexual abuse.

The charity single, Come Home, urges Cardinal Pell to “just get on a plane” and return to front the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Abuse.

Tim Minchin has called on Cardinal George Pell to return to Australia to face the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Abuse.

The almost five-minute release comes in the wake of a crowd-funding campaign to send victims to Rome to front Pell, who has cited ill-health as the reason he is unable to fly to Australia.

Minchin has pledged all proceeds from the song to go toward the gofundme campaign, which was set up by The Project hosts Gorgi Coghlan and Meshel Laurie and has already raised more than $90,000.

In it, the former Jesus Christ Superstar performer calls Pell a “pompous buffoon”.

“It is just the right thing to do. We have a right to know what you knew. Couldn’t you see what was under your nose Georgie? Back in ‘73 when you were living with Jerry. Is it true that you knew but chose to ignore? Did you actively try to keep it buried? And years later when survivors -- despite their shame and their fear -- stood up to tell their stories,” he sings.

“You should come home you pompous buffoon. I suggest do it soon. I hear the tolling of a bell and it has a pellinell.”

“My lawyer just rang me to tell me this one could get me in legal trouble. Oh well, Cardinal Pell, if you don’t feel compelled to come home by a sense of moral duty perhaps you will come home and frickin’ sue me”, he sings.

The YouTube clip of the song has already had over 71,000 views, but not everyone is supportive of it.

The Project guest host Steve Price criticised Minchin for using his talent to “abuse someone from a distance”.

“Obviously, Tim Minchin feels really strongly about that, but I just think it is really disgusting the way he has resorted to personal abuse of George Pell,” Price said.

“He has called him a coward, scum and a buffoon.

“Now this guy is the most senior Australian Catholic in the world.

“He is a Cardinal, regardless of what you make of it.

“I think it is pathetic.”

Cardinal Pell is said to be too ill to fly to Australia from his post in Rome. Picture: AFP

Pell is due to give evidence from Rome on February 29 and the campaign is set to send some of the victims to Italy, provided the Royal Commission rules the evidence be given in a public forum.

If that is not the case, the funds will be directed to a healing centre for survivors in Ballarat.