Cardinal George Pell has hit back at criticism of his inability to return to Australia to appear in person before the child sex abuse royal commission, following a controversial song by comedian Tim Minchin.

Australia's most high-profile Catholic is prepared to "meet with and listen to victims and express his ongoing support" after his testimony in Rome, a statement from his office said, adding that the past few days had seen a lot of "incorrect information" surface.

"Cardinal Pell has always helped victims, listened to them and considered himself their ally," the statement said.

"As an archbishop for almost 20 years he has led from the front to put an end to cover-ups, to protect vulnerable people and to try to bring justice to victims."

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Anthony Foster, whose two daughters, Emma and Kate, were raped by their parish priest in suburban Melbourne, said he did speak to Cardinal Pell briefly after his testimony in New South Wales.

"We've always been willing to speak to him," he told RN Breakfast.

"We've always tried to maintain a dialogue with him, and the hierarchy in general has not spoken to us, has not attempted to talk to us at any point over the last 20 years.

"I made an attempt to speak to Cardinal Pell after his evidence in Sydney … and we did have a discussion.

"That was specifically around trying to improve the Melbourne response. He wanted to, at that stage, try and give us some solace about Emma but it wasn't the appropriate time.

"But they don't call us. It's always us having to take the action."

But Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart defended Cardinal Pell, saying he was "appalled at the manner in which [Cardinal Pell] had been denigrated publicly this week".

"It must be remembered that the Royal Commission controls this process, that it accepted that the Cardinal could give his evidence in Rome due to his health concerns," he said.

"At the time that the royal commission was announced, the Church committed itself to full cooperation.

"I can assure the community that our support for the work of the royal commission will not waver."

Minchin song passes 400,000 views on YouTube

It comes as Minchin's controversial song, Come Home (Cardinal Pell), passed 400,000 views on YouTube.

Money raised from the sale of the single is going to a GoFundMe page campaign, set up by radio personality Meshel Laurie, to send Ballarat abuse survivors to Rome to hear Cardinal Pell testify.

The song calls on Cardinal Pell to return to Australia and "face the music".

"He has appeared before the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry and twice before the royal commission, including for several days in person at the royal commission public hearing in Sydney in 2014," the statement from Cardinal Pell's office said.

"The Cardinal is anxious to present the facts without further delays. It is ultimately a matter for the royal commission to determine the precise arrangements for the provision of evidence by the Cardinal in Rome.

"The Cardinal will continue to cooperate with whatever arrangements the royal commission determines, so that he can be heard on the days and at the times recently set by the commissioner."