George Pell
At last, bad news is good news in the Catholic sex abuse scandal
By Thomas Reese — June 28, 2018
(RNS) — The truly bad news of the scandal, of course, has been the horrible abuse of children and the negative effects of the abuse will be with them for the rest of their lives. The good news is that perpetrators have been caught and exposed. Accusations are being investigated and the guilty are being punished.
Cardinal Pell to stand trial in abuse case
By Yonat Shimron — April 30, 2018
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) —Pope Francis' former finance minister will face at least one charge at trial after being accused of sexually abusing multiple victims decades ago.
Cardinal Pell facing Australian court on sex abuse charges
By Yonat Shimron — March 4, 2018
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Pell has not yet entered a plea. But his lawyers have told the court that the cardinal plans to formally plead not guilty if he is ordered to stand trial.
Australian probe into child abuse attacks Catholic celibacy
By Rod McGuirk — December 15, 2017
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian inquiry into child abuse recommended that the Catholic Church lift its demand of celibacy from clergy and that priests be prosecuted for failing to report evidence of pedophilia heard in the confessional.
Vatican Cardinal Pell faces Australian court on sex charges
By The Associated Press — July 26, 2017
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Cardinal George Pell, Australia's highest-ranking Catholic and Pope Francis' top financial adviser, is the most senior Vatican official ever charged in the Catholic Church sex abuse crisis.
Cardinal returns to Australia to face sexual assault charges
By Yonat Shimron — July 10, 2017
SYDNEY (AP) — The 76-year-old cleric is due to appear in a court in the Victoria state capital, Melbourne, on July 26.
Cardinal’s sex abuse charges raise questions about pope’s record
By Josephine McKenna — June 30, 2017
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The allegations against one of his closest advisers and the architect of his economic and administrative reforms is not only embarrassing for Pope Francis but brings the church abuse scandal to his door.
Cardinal George Pell takes a leave of absence after sex assault charges
By Josephine McKenna — June 29, 2017
VATICAN CITY (RNS) At a media conference Thursday (June 29), Pell said he would take leave to defend himself and intended to return to his senior post once the court case was completed.
Top papal adviser charged with sexual assault in blow to Vatican
By Byron Kaye — June 28, 2017
SYDNEY (Reuters) Cardinal George Pell faces "multiple charges in respect of historic sexual offenses" from multiple complainants, said police in the Australian state of Victoria, where Pell was a country priest in the 1970s.
Australia police weigh abuse charges after investigating top Catholic
By Byron Kaye — May 18, 2017
SYDNEY (Reuters) Cardinal George Pell, who before his Vatican appointment was archbishop of Sydney, has rejected any involvement in alleged child abuse in Australia.
Pope’s sex abuse panel to continue its work without victims — for now
By Josephine McKenna — March 27, 2017
ROME (RNS) But a commission statement vowed that victims of clerical abuse should have a voice in the future.
Australian archbishop: ‘As Catholics we hang our heads in shame’
By Josephine McKenna — February 6, 2017
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Over 4,440 Australians claim to have been victims of church abuse between 1980 and 2015, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was told.
Pope Francis will await judgment on Cardinal Pell over sex abuse claims
By Josephine McKenna — July 31, 2016
ROME (RNS) Pope Francis said that once Australian judicial authorities complete their investigation of the Vatican's finance chief he will take any necessary action.
Vatican finance minister rejects latest abuse allegations
By Josephine McKenna — July 28, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) This week a TV report by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. said police in the state of Victoria were investigating claims that Pell had touched boys inappropriately.
Vatican unexpectedly suspends independent financial audit
By David Gibson — April 21, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The surprise move raises questions about Pope Francis' efforts to clean up Vatican finances.