Old page wikitext, before the edit ($1) (old_wikitext) | '{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
|type = Cardinal
|honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]]
|name = George Pell
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC|size=100%}}
|title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Secretariat for the Economy|Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy]]
|image = Cardinal George Pell in 2012.jpg
|caption = Pell in 2012
|church = [[Latin Church]]
|appointed = 24 February 2014
|term_end =
|predecessor = Position established
|successor =
|other_post = Cardinal-Priest of [[Santa Maria Domenica Mazzarello titular church|S. Maria Domenica Mazzarello]]
|ordination = 16 December 1966
|ordained_by = [[Gregorio Pietro Agagianian]]
|consecration = 21 May 1987
|consecrated_by = [[Frank Little (bishop)|Frank Little]]
|cardinal = 21 October 2003
|created_cardinal_by = [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]]
|rank = Cardinal-Priest
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1941|6|8|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Ballarat]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]
|death_date =
|death_place =
|religion = [[Roman Catholicism in Australia|Roman Catholicism]]
|previous_post = {{plainlist |
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Scala|Titular Bishop of Scala]] (1987–1996)
* [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne|Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne]] (1987–1996)
* [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne|Archbishop of Melbourne]] (1996–2001)
* [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney|Archbishop of Sydney]] (2001–2014)
* Member of the [[Council of Cardinal Advisers]] (2013–2018)
}}
|alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|[[Corpus Christi College, Melbourne]]|[[Pontifical Urban University]]|[[Campion Hall, Oxford]]|[[Monash University]]}}
|motto = ''Nolite Timere'' ("Be not afraid")
}}
{{Infobox cardinal styles
|name = George Pell
|image = Coat of arms of George Pell.svg
|dipstyle = [[His Eminence]]
|offstyle = [[His Eminence|Your Eminence]] or My Lord Cardinal
|relstyle = [[Cardinal (Catholic)|Cardinal]]
|deathstyle =
}}
'''George Pell''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC}} (born 8 June 1941) is an [[Australia]]n [[prelate]] of the [[Catholic Church]] and the church's most senior official to be convicted of a [[Sexual offender|sexual offence]].<ref name="WPconvict">{{cite news| last = Sullivan| first = Margaret| date = 12 December 2018| title = A top cardinal's sex-abuse conviction is huge news in Australia. But the media can't report it there.| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-top-cardinals-sex-abuse-conviction-is-huge-news-in-australia-but-the-media-cant-report-it-there/2018/12/12/49c0eb68-fe27-11e8-83c0-b06139e540e5_story.html?utm_term=.06749b710f2d | work = The Washington Post | access-date = 12 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="AMconvict">{{cite news| last = O'Connell| first = Gerard| date = 12 December 2018| title = Cardinal Pell, top advisor to Pope Francis, found guilty of ‘historical sexual offenses’| url = https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/12/12/cardinal-pell-top-advisor-pope-francis-found-guilty-historical-sexual-offenses| work = America magazine| access-date = 13 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="beastconvict">{{cite news| last = Cartwright| first = Lachlan | date = 12 December 2018| title = Vatican No. 3 Cardinal George Pell Convicted on Charges He Sexually Abused Choir Boys| url = https://www.thedailybeast.com/vatican-no-3-cardinal-george-pell-on-trial-for-historical-child-sex-charges/
| work = The Daily Beast| location = New York| access-date = 13 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/australian-court-convicts-once-powerful-vatican-official-on-sex-abuse-related-charges/2018/12/12/da0d909c-fe20-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html|title=Australian court convicts once-powerful Vatican official on sex-abuse-related charges|last=Harlan|first=Chico|date=|work=Washinton Post|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/world/europe/pope-cardinals-pell-abuse.html|title=Vatican Expels 2 Cardinals Implicated in Sexual Abuse From Pope's Council|last=Horowitz|first=Jason|date=12 December 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-14|last2=Povoledo|first2=Elisabetta|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He became the inaugural [[Prefect]] of the [[Secretariat for the Economy]] in 2014. He previously served as the eighth [[Catholic Bishops and Archbishops of Sydney|Archbishop of Sydney]] (2001–2014), the seventh [[Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne|Archbishop of Melbourne]] (1996–2001), and [[Auxiliary bishop]] of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne|Melbourne]] (1987–1996).<ref name=hierarchy>{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bpell|George Cardinal Pell|21 January 2015}}</ref> He was created a cardinal in 2003.<ref name=miranda>{{cite news|work=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church|title=Pell, George|url=http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-p.htm#Pell|last=Miranda|first=Salvador}}</ref> Ordained in 1966, he has also been an author, columnist, public speaker and sportsman, having been signed by the [[Richmond Football Club]], an [[Australian rules football]] team, in 1959.<ref name="newest"/> Since becoming Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996, he has maintained a high public profile on a wide range of issues, while retaining a strict adherence to [[Catholic orthodoxy]].
Pell first studied in Rome and Oxford and later at Monash University in Melbourne. He has been a visiting lecturer at Oxford and Cambridge.<ref name="newest"/> He worked as a priest in regional Victoria and in Melbourne and has since worked widely in education, seminaries and the charity sector, chairing the aid organisation [[Caritas Internationalis|Caritas Australia]] from 1988 to 1997. He has written widely on religious subjects, authoring several books and writing a weekly column in Sydney's ''[[Sunday Telegraph]]''.<ref name="newest"/> He received a number of international appointments during the papacy of [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]], and was brought to Rome by [[Pope Francis]] to advise on Vatican City finance and governance issues.<ref name="newest"/><ref name="SBS Career">{{cite news|title=George Pell's career in the Catholic Church|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/06/29/george-pells-career-catholic-church|accessdate=7 July 2017|work=SBS News|publisher=SBS|date=29 June 2017}}</ref> He was appointed as a delegate to the [[Australian Constitutional Convention 1998|Australian Constitutional Convention]] in 1998, received the [[Centenary Medal]] from the Australian government in 2003, and was appointed a [[Companion of the Order of Australia]] in 2005.<ref name="newest"/><ref name="SBS Career"/>
Upon becoming Archbishop of Melbourne, Pell set up the "Melbourne Response" diocesan protocol to investigate and deal with complaints of sexual abuse in the [[Archdiocese of Melbourne]].<ref name="FacingtheTruth">{{cite report|author1=Catholic Church Victoria|title=Facing the Truth - Learning from the Past - How the Catholic Church in Victoria has Responded to Child Abuse (submission to Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations)|date=21 September 2012|url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/Child_Abuse_Inquiry/Submissions/Catholic_Church_in_Victoria.pdf|accessdate=6 July 2017}}</ref><ref name="BetrayalVolume2Vic">{{cite book|author1=Family and Community Development Committee|title=Betrayal of trust : inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other non-government organisations (Volume 2)|date=2013|publisher=Parliament of Victoria|location=East Melbourne, Victoria|isbn=9780987372857|url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/Child_Abuse_Inquiry/Report/Inquiry_into_Handling_of_Abuse_Volume_2_FINAL_web.pdf}}</ref>{{sfn|Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse|2015}} The protocol was the first of its kind in the world, but has been subject to a variety of criticisms.<ref name="FacingtheTruth" />{{sfn|Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse|2015}}<ref name="BetrayalVolume2Vic" /><ref name="ABC-Pell-charged" /> Australia's wide-ranging 2013–2017 [[Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]] called Pell three times to give evidence about the Melbourne Response, handling of abuse in the Ballarat and Melbourne Dioceses, and Case Study 8 regarding the John Ellis complaint.<ref name="SBS Career"/> Pell was also called to testify at a 2013 [[Government of Victoria|Victorian government]] Inquiry. Amid anger at the church's handling of abuse claims, Pell's appearances were subject to criticism and controversy.<ref name = 2016-RC-appearance /><ref name = Victoria-Inquiry-Marr /><ref name = SMH-Melbourne-Response>[http://www.smh.com.au/national/sydney-archbishop-anthony-fisher-defends-catholic-church-and-cardinal-george-pell-over-response-to-child-abuse-claims-20150525-gh9b30.html#ixzz3g6zxM92E Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher defends Catholic Church and Cardinal George Pell over response to child abuse claims]; ''[[Canberra Times]]'', 25 May 2015.</ref><ref name = 2014-RC-appearance /><ref name = Age-Victoria-Inquiry /><ref name="ABC anger" /> These inquiries discredited a number of widely reported claims against Pell regarding his purported knowledge of events as a young priest, but also criticised some aspects of the procedures he later established for handling abuse claims.<ref name="Case Study 28"/><ref name="couriermail.com.au">[http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/passport-proves-cardinal-george-pells-point/news-story/49067d0e69d045e8b61a7db9e39b0d2c Passport Proves Cardinal George Pell's point]; www.couriermail.com.au; 27 June 2015</ref> Pell himself used the platforms to both condemn past failings of his Church and to defend his own efforts to combat child abuse in the church and care for victims.<ref name="ABC day 1">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-29/george-pell-says-catholic-church-made-'enormous-mistakes'/7206676 |title=Cardinal George Pell tells child abuse royal commission Catholic Church made 'enormous mistakes' |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=29 February 2016 |accessdate=29 February 2016}}</ref>
In June 2017, Pell was charged in Victoria, Australia with multiple historical sexual assault offences; he denied all charges.<ref name="ABC-Pell-charged">{{cite news|url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/cardinal-george-pell-charged-sexual-assault-offences/8547668|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|title = George Pell, Catholic cardinal, charged with historical sexual assault offences|date = 29 June 2017|accessdate = 29 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="ABC30Jun">{{cite news|title=George Pell: How Italian media reacted to the historical sexual offence charges|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/george-pell-how-italian-media-reacted-to-sex-assault-charges/8666944|accessdate=30 June 2017|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=30 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="ABC29-2" /> The most serious charges were thrown out for "fundamental defects in evidence" and credibility issues over witnesses, but Pell was committed to stand [[trial by jury|trial]] on the lesser charges, pleading not guilty.<ref name=committaldecision>{{cite news|url=http://abc.net.au/news/2018-05-01/cardinal-george-pell-court-decision/9713630 |date=1 May 2018|work=ABC News|title=Cardinal George Pell pleads not guilty to historical sexual offence charges after being committed to stand trial|first=Emma |last=Younger}}</ref> As Vatican Prefect for the Secretariat of the Economy, Pell is reported to be the most senior Catholic cleric in the world to face such charges.<ref name="ABC30Jun" /><ref name="ABC-Pell-charged" /><ref>{{cite news|author1=Nino Bucci|author2=Tom Cowie|author3=Nick Miller|title=Cardinal George Pell charged with historical sex offences|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/cardinal-george-pell-set-to-be-charged-with-serious-sex-offences-20170628-gx0v8y.html|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=The Sydney Morning|date=30 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Melissa Davey|author2=Stephanie Kirchgaessner|title=Cardinal George Pell: Vatican official charged with multiple sexual offences|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jun/29/cardinal-george-pell-charged-with-multiple-sexual-offences|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=The Guardian|date=29 June 2017}}</ref>
On 16 August 2018, Spanish media reported that Pell had been removed from the [[Council of Cardinal Advisers]] due to the charges raised against him. <ref> Eldiarios.es August 16, 2018 https://m.eldiario.es/sociedad/Papa-expulsara-implicados-pederastia-EEUU_0_804219699.html </ref>
On 11 December 2018, Pell was found guilty on five charges related to sexual misconduct involving two boys in the 1990s. He is listed to be sentenced in February 2019 and is expected to appeal the conviction.<ref>[https://www.catholicregister.org/home/international/item/28607-australia-s-cardinal-pell-found-guilty-of-sex-abuse-expected-to-appeal Australia's Cardinal Pell found guilty of sex abuse, expected to appeal]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/12/12/cardinal-pell-top-advisor-pope-francis-found-guilty-historical-sexual-offenses|title=Cardinal Pell, top advisor to Pope Francis, found guilty of ‘historical sexual offenses’|date=12 December 2018|website=America Magazine|accessdate=13 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/reports-of-pell-guilty-verdict-emerge-despite-gag-order-32220/|title=Reports of Pell guilty verdict emerge, despite gag order|first=Ed|last=Condon|website=Catholic News Agency|accessdate=13 December 2018}}</ref> International news sources have reported that Pell's conviction is subject to a [[gag order]] issued by Judge Peter Kidd, suppressing coverage of the conviction by Australian media companies.<ref name=postSullivan>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-top-cardinals-sex-abuse-conviction-is-huge-news-in-australia-but-the-media-cant-report-it-there/2018/12/12/49c0eb68-fe27-11e8-83c0-b06139e540e5_story.html?noredirect=on|title=A top cardinal's sex-abuse conviction is huge news in Australia. But the media can't report it there.|publisher=Washington Post|date=12 December 2018|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref><ref name=nprChappel>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/13/676441949/cardinal-george-pell-reportedly-convicted-of-sex-abuse-amid-gag-order-in-austral|publisher=NPR|title=Cardinal George Pell Reportedly Convicted of Sex Abuse Amid Gag Order in Australia|date=13 December 2018|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref><ref name=beastCartwright>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/vatican-no-3-cardinal-george-pell-on-trial-for-historical-child-sex-charges/|title=Vatican No. 3 Cardinal George Pell Convicted on Charges He Sexually Abused Choir Boys|publisher=The Daily Beast|date=11 December 2018|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref><ref name=slateOlmstead>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/12/cardinal-george-pell-convicted-sex-abuse-australia.html|title=Report: Third-Highest Ranking Vatican Official Convicted on Sex Abuse Charges in Australia|publisher=Slate|date=12 December 2018|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref>
On 12 December 2018, the day after Pell's conviction, the [[Holy See Press Office]] announced that Pope Francis had written to Pell at the end of October 2018 to thank him for his work on the [[Council of Cardinal Advisers]] since 2013; and terminated his appointment to the council.<ref name="remove va 2018-12-12">{{cite press release|author=Burke, Greg|url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/12/12/181212d.html|title=Briefing by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, on the 27th Meeting of the Council of Cardinals with the Holy Father Francis, 12.12.2018|publisher=[[Holy See Press Office]]|date=12 December 2018|access-date=14 December 2018|language=English}}</ref><ref name="news remove 2018-12-13"/>
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==Early life and education==
Pell was born 8 June 1941 in [[Ballarat]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]],<ref name="Cardinal Reflections">{{cite book|year=2005|editor1-last=Arinze|editor1-first=Francis|editor1-link=Francis Arinze|editor2-last=George|editor2-first=Francis|editor2-link=Francis George|editor3-last=Medina Estévez|editor3-first=Jorge|editor3-link=Jorge Medina|editor4-last=Pell|editor4-first=George|title=Cardinal Reflections: Active Participation and the Liturgy|location=Chicago|publisher=Hillenbrand Books|isbn=978-1-59525-013-1|page=vi}}</ref> to George Arthur and Margaret Lillian (née Burke) Pell.<ref name=miranda/> His father, a non-practising [[Anglican]] whose ancestors were from [[Leicestershire]] in [[England]], was a [[heavyweight]] [[boxing]] champion{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}; his mother was a devout [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] of [[Ireland|Irish]] descent.<ref name=Livingstone>{{cite book|last1=Livingstone|first1=Tess|year=2004|title=George Pell: Defender of the Faith Down Under|location=San Francisco|publisher=Ignatius Press|isbn=978-0-89870-984-1}}</ref>{{rp|21}} As a child, Pell underwent 24 operations to remove an [[abscess]] in his throat.<ref name=Livingstone/>{{Page needed|date=March 2012}}
Pell attended [[Loreto College, Ballarat|Loreto Convent]] and [[St Patrick's College, Ballarat|St Patrick's College]] (from which he matriculated) in Ballarat.<ref name=sydney>{{cite web|publisher=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney]]|title=Our Archbishop – Biography|url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/biography.shtml}}</ref> At St Patrick's, Pell played as a [[Ruckman (Australian rules football position)|ruckman]] on the first XVIII from 1956 to 1959.<ref name=rise>{{cite news|date=1 October 2003|work=[[The Age]]|location=Melbourne, Australia|title=The inexorable rise of George Pell |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/30/1064819923402.html|author=Zwartz, Barney|accessdate=13 March 2012}}</ref> He even signed to play with the [[Richmond Football Club]].<ref name=miranda/> However, his ambitions later turned to the [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priesthood]]. Speaking of his decision to become a priest, Pell once said, "To put it crudely, I feared and suspected and eventually became convinced that God wanted me to do His work, and I was never able to successfully escape that conviction."<ref name=Livingstone/>{{rp|34}}
In 1960, he began his priestly studies at [[Corpus Christi College, Melbourne|Corpus Christi College]], then located in [[Werribee, Victoria|Werribee]].<ref name=sydney/> One of his fellow seminarians at Corpus Christi was [[Denis Hart]],<ref name=Livingstone/>{{rp|38–39}} Pell's future successor as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne|Archbishop of Melbourne]].<ref name=Livingstone/>{{Page needed|date=March 2012}} Pell continued to play football and served as class [[prefect]] in his second and third years.<ref name=Livingstone/>{{rp|41–42}} In 1963, he was assigned to continue his studies at the [[Pontifical Urban University]] in [[Rome]].<ref name=rise/> He was [[Holy Orders|ordained]] to the [[Deacon|diaconate]] on 15 August 1966.<ref name=miranda/>
==Ecclesiastical career==
===Priesthood===
On 16 December 1966, Pell was ordained a priest by Cardinal [[Gregorio Pietro Agagianian]] at [[St. Peter's Basilica]].<ref name=hierarchy/> He received a [[Licentiate of Sacred Theology]] degree from the [[Pontificia Università Urbaniana]] in 1967 and continued his studies at the [[University of Oxford]] where he earned a [[Doctor of Philosophy]] degree in [[church history]] in 1971 with a thesis entitled ''The exercise of authority in early Christianity from about 170 to about 270''.<ref name=miranda/><ref>{{cite thesis|last=Pell|first=George|year=1972|title=The Exercise of Authority in Early Christianity from about 170 to about 270|type=PhD dissertation|publisher=University of Oxford|oclc=85480988}}</ref> During his studies at Oxford, he also served as a [[chaplain]] to Catholic students at [[Eton College]], where he celebrated the first Roman Catholic [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] since the [[English Reformation]].<ref name=Livingstone/>{{rp|72}}
In 1971, he returned to Australia and was assigned to serve as an [[Curate|assistant priest]] in [[Swan Hill, Victoria|Swan Hill]], where he remained for two years.<ref name=miranda/> He then served at a parish in [[Ballarat East, Victoria|Ballarat East]] from 1973 to 1983, becoming administrator of the parish of Bungaree in 1984.<ref name=miranda/> In 1982, he earned a [[Master of Education]] degree from [[Monash University]] in Melbourne.<ref name=sydney/> During his tenure in Ballarat East and Bungaree, he also served as [[Vicar general|Episcopal Vicar]] for Education (1973–84), director of the Aquinas campus of the Institute of Catholic Education (1974–84) and principal of the Institute of Catholic Education (1981–84).<ref name=sydney/><ref name="Cardinal Reflections"/> He was also [[Editing|editor]] of ''Light'', the newspaper of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ballarat|Diocese of Ballarat]], from 1979 to 1984.<ref name=miranda/>
From 1985 to 1987, Pell served as seminary [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] of his ''[[alma mater]]'', Corpus Christi College.<ref name=sydney/>
===Diocesan episcopal career===
Pell was appointed an [[auxiliary bishop]] of [[Archdiocese of Melbourne|Melbourne]] and [[titular Bishop]] of Scala on 30 March 1987. He received his [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|episcopal consecration]] on 21 May 1987 from [[Frank Little (priest)|Archbishop Frank Little]], with bishops [[Ronald Mulkearns]] and Joseph O'Connell serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]]. He served as Bishop for the Southern Region of Melbourne (1987–1996). During this time, he was a parish priest in [[Mentone, Victoria|Mentone]].<ref name=sydney/>
Pell was named seventh [[Archdiocese of Melbourne|Archbishop of Melbourne]] on 16 July 1996, receiving the [[pallium]] from [[Pope John Paul II]] on 29 June 1997. He was later appointed eighth [[Catholic Bishops and Archbishops of Sydney|Archbishop of Sydney]] on 26 March 2001 and again received the pallium from John Paul on 29 June 2001.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
Pell was a consultor of the [[Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace]] from 1990 to 1995 and a member from 2002. From 1990 to 2000 he was a member of the [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]]. In April 2002, John Paul II named him President of the [[Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments#Vox Clara commission|Vox Clara commission]] to advise the [[Congregation for Divine Worship]] on English translations of liturgical texts. In December 2002 he was appointed a member of the [[Pontifical Council for the Family]], having previously served as a consultor to the council. On 22 September 2012, Pell was appointed a member of the [[Congregation for Bishops]].{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
Since Pell's appointment as Archbishop of Melbourne he has maintained a high public profile on a wide range of issues, while retaining a strict adherence to Catholic orthodoxy; with some dispute over the issue of Catholics and "primacy of conscience".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/ZPELLNEW.HTM |title=Newman and the Drama of True and False Conscience |work=A Zenit Daily Dispatch |date=10 February 2005 |location=Chicago |last=Pell |first=George |accessdate=13 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1573997.htm |title=Pell accused of Catholic 'dictatorship' |work=The World Today |format=transcript |date=20 February 2006 |author=Kennedy, Jean |publisher=ABC Radio |location=Australia |accessdate=13 March 2012}}</ref>
In 2001, he argued: "We must not allow the situation to deteriorate as it had in [[Elijah]]'s time, 850 years before Christ, where [[monotheism]] was nearly swamped by the aggressive paganism of the followers of [[Baal]]." In 2010, on reviewing the movie ''[[Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar]]'', he wrote: "Worship of the powerful forces of nature is half right, a primitive stage in the movement towards acknowledging the one: the single Transcendent God, above and beyond nature. It is a symptom of our age that Hollywood is pumping out this old-fashioned [[Paganism|pagan]] propaganda."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/box-office-profit-wont-make-paganism-one-of-our-favourite-things-20100115-mcce.html|title=Box office profit won't make paganism one of our favourite things|last1=Dale|first1=David|publisher=''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]''|date=16 January 2010|accessdate=16 December 2010}}</ref>
On 28 September 2003, Pope John Paul II announced that he would appoint Pell and 28 others to the [[College of Cardinals]].<ref name="Nomination">{{cite web |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11093a.htm |publisher=Newadvent.org |title=Catholic encyclopedia: Nomination |accessdate=8 August 2011 |year=2009}}</ref> In the [[Papal consistory|consistory]] of 21 October he was created and proclaimed [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal-Priest]] of ''[[List of titular churches in Rome|S. Maria Domenica Mazzarello]]''. For the first time ever, from Pell's elevation to the cardinalate in 2003 until [[Edward Bede Clancy]]'s 80th birthday on 13 December 2003, there were three Australian cardinal electors (had a [[Papal conclave|papal election]] become necessary), including Clancy and [[Edward Idris Cassidy]], [[Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity|president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity]].{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
Pell was one of the [[Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 2005|electors]] who participated in the [[Papal conclave, 2005|2005 papal conclave]] that selected [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. It has been speculated that Pell served as a type of "campaign manager" behind Benedict's election.<ref name=wizard>{{cite news|date=4 May 2010|work=Whispers in the Loggia|title="The Wizard," Out of Oz|url=http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2010/05/wizard-out-of-oz.html|last=Palmo|first=Rocco}}</ref> While there was a little speculation in the [[media of Australia|Australian media]] that he had an outside chance of becoming Pope himself, international commentary on the papal succession (aside from one Italian source) did not mention Pell as a contender. However, Pell was mentioned as a possible successor to Benedict XVI as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Faiths-enforcer-offers-hand-of-unity/2005/04/20/1113854264674.html|title=Faith's enforcer offers hand of unity|date=21 April 2005|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|author1=Zwartz, Barney |author2=O'Grady, Desmond |accessdate=13 March 2012}}</ref> This position was given to [[William Levada]], former [[Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco|Archbishop of San Francisco]]. Pell remains eligible to participate in any future [[papal conclave]]s that begin before his 80th birthday on 8 June 2021.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
[[File:Cardinal George Pell.jpg|thumb|right|Pell in Rome in 2007]]
In 2005, Pell lobbied for the successful Sydney bid to host the [[World Youth Day 2008|2008 World Youth Day]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-08-21/sydney-to-host-next-catholic-world-youth-day/2085840|title=Sydney to host next Catholic World Youth Day|publisher=ABC News Australia|date=22 August 2005|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref> which brought Benedict XVI on his first papal visit to Australia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/pope-benedict-xvi-arrives-in-sydney-20080713-3ef7.html|title=Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Sydney|publisher=''The Sydney Morning Herald''|date=13 July 2008|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref> The event drew approximately half a million young people from 200 countries and one million people came to see the Pope. On 19 July 2008, Benedict issued his first public apology to victims of [[child sexual abuse]] by Catholic priests.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/newscaf-pope-benedict-xvi-australia-world-youth-day-2008|title=Pope Benedict XVI visits Australia in 2008|publisher=National Film and Sound Archive of Australia|year=2018|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref>
In February 2007, Pell instituted new guidelines for family members speaking at funerals. He said that, "on not a few occasions, inappropriate remarks glossing over the deceased's proclivities (drinking prowess, romantic conquests etc) or about the Church (attacking its moral teachings) have been made at funeral Masses."<ref>{{cite news|last=Grubel|first=James|date=23 February 2007|title=Catholics call time on long-winded eulogies|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-eulogy-idUSN2322792920070223|newspaper=Reuters|accessdate=27 October 2016}}</ref> Pell's guidelines make it clear that the eulogy must never replace the celebrant's [[homily]], which should focus on the scripture readings selected, God's compassion, and the [[resurrection of Jesus]].{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
In their 2010 [[Good Friday]] sermons, both Pell and his [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] counterpart Archbishop [[Peter Jensen (bishop)|Peter Jensen]] attacked atheism.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-04-02/christian-leaders-use-easter-to-attack-atheism/389854|title=Christian leaders use Easter to attack atheism|publisher=ABC Australia|date=2 April 2010|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/atheists-are-believers-who-hate-god-says-anglican-archbishop-peter-jensen/news-story/5a64bba7b43c7ac042eca1a1c54beda3|title=Atheists are believers who hate God, says Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen|publisher=News.com Australia|date=2 April 2010|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref> Both men were also closely aligned on policy issues<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/pell-and-jensen-raise-ir-protest-to-critical-mass-20050806-gdltpe.html|title=Pell and Jensen raise IR protest to critical mass|publisher=''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]''|date=6 August 2005|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref> and Jensen launched Pell's biography.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/archbishops-meet-for-launch-20021030-gduqne.html|title=Archbishops meet for launch|publisher=''[[The Age]]''|date=30 October 2002|accessdate=16 December 2018}}</ref>
On 18 September 2012, Pell was named by Benedict XVI to be one of the papally appointed Synod Fathers for the October 2012 Ordinary General Assembly of the [[Synod of Bishops (Catholic)|Synod of Bishops]] on the New Evangelization.<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/29673.php?index=29673&lang=en |date=}}</ref>
Pell was the only cardinal from [[Oceania]] to take part in the [[Papal conclave, 2013|2013 papal conclave]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21631398|title=Conclave to elect a new Pope|format=Interactive video|work=BBC News|date=11 March 2013|first=Philippa|last=Thomas|accessdate=13 April 2013}}</ref> Following the election of [[Pope Francis]], Pell was one of [[Council of Cardinal Advisers|eight members]] appointed to advise the Pope on how to reform the Catholic Church.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-13/pope-selects-pell2c-others-to-reform-church/4627530|title=Pope selects Pell, others to reform church|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|location=Australia|date=13 April 2013|accessdate=13 April 2013|agency=ABC/Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Willey|first=David|author-link=David Willey (journalist)|year=2015|title=The Promise of Francis: The Man, the Pope, and the Challenge of Change|location=New York|publisher=Gallery Books|publication-date=2017|isbn=978-1-4767-8906-4|p=61}}</ref> In December 2018, it was reported that Pell and two others were removed from this role, with effect from late October 2018.<ref name="remove va 2018-12-12"/><ref name="news remove 2018-12-13">{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/pope-francis-cuts-george-pell-and-two-other-cardinals-from-vatican-council/news-story/f6ef172907f55a0b009bd0aa242a1595|title=Pope Francis cuts George Pell and two other cardinals from Vatican council |website=news.com.au |date=13 December 2018 |accessdate=13 December 2018 |agency=AP}}</ref>
===Secretariat for the Economy===
In February 2014, Pell was appointed to be the first [[Pro-prefect|prefect]] of the newly created [[Secretariat for the Economy (Holy See)|Secretariat for the Economy]].<ref name="news.va">{{cite web | url=http://www.news.va/en/news/australian-cardinal-to-head-new-vatican-secretaria | title=Australian Cardinal to head new Vatican Secretariat for Economy | work=News.va | date=24 February 2014 | accessdate=24 February 2014}}</ref> In this role, Pell is responsible for the annual budget of the Holy See and the Vatican.<ref name="ABC News">{{cite web | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-25/george-pell-named-as-head-of-vatican-finances/5281300 | title=Cardinal George Pell named as head of Vatican finances, will relocate to Rome| work=ABC News | date=25 February 2014 | accessdate=27 February 2014}}</ref> As a result of his appointment, the see of Sydney [[Sede vacante|fell vacant]].{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
In July 2014 it was announced that Pell, with the consent of Pope Francis, had the Ordinary Section of [[Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See]] (APSA) transferred to the Secretariat for the Economy and claimed that this was an important step to enable the Secretariat for the Economy to exercise its responsibilities of economic control and vigilance over the agencies of the Holy See. It was also announced that remaining staff of APSA would begin to focus exclusively on its role as a treasury for the Holy See and the Vatican City State.<ref name=9julypressrelease>{{cite press release |date=9 July 2014 |title=Press Conference for the presentation of the New Economic Framework for the Holy See |publisher=Holy See Press Office |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2014/07/09/0509/01131.html |accessdate=22 May 2015}}</ref>
Following the confirmation of the Institute for the Works of Religion's mission by the Pope on 7 April 2014 the IOR announced plans for the next stage of development. The [[Council of Cardinal Advisers|Council of Cardinals]], the Secretariat for the Economy, the Supervisory Commission of Cardinals and the current IOR Board of Superintendence have agreed that this plan will be carried out by a new executive team led by Jean-Baptiste de Franssu.<ref name=9julypressrelease/>
Pell was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in September 2014.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
It was reported in November 2014 that the Secretariat for the Economy has distributed a new handbook to all Vatican offices outlining financial management policies that would go into effect on 1 January 2015. The manual was endorsed by the [[Council for the Economy]] and approved by the Pope in ''forma specifica''. "The purpose of the manual is very simple", said Pell, "it brings Financial Management practices in line with international standards and will help all Entities and Administrations of the Holy See and the Vatican City State prepare financial reports in a consistent and transparent manner." The Secretariat for the Economy will provide training and support to the Vatican/Holy See offices to help implement the new policies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vatican: Secretariat for Economy launches new financial management polices |url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/11/06/vatican_secretariat_for_economy,_new_management_policies/1110354 |work=[[Vatican Radio]] |date=6 November 2014 |accessdate=22 May 2015}}</ref>
In 2015, Cardinal [[Francesco Coccopalmerio]] questioned the scope of the authority given to the Secretariat for the Economy and to Pell himself. These questions involved not the demand for transparency in all financial operations, but the consolidation of management under the Secretariat for the Economy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vatican economic reform plans meeting resistance, leading Italian journalist reports |url=http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=24056 |work=Catholic World News |publisher=Catholic Culture |date=17 February 2015 |accessdate=22 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Vatican: Doubts grow over Pell’s excessive powers |url=http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/39198/ |author=Tornielli, Andrea |date=16 February 2015 |accessdate=22 May 2015 |work=Vatican Insider |location=Vatican City}}</ref>
===Health in later life===
In February 2010, it was reported that Pell "had a heart turn in Rome recently and that he's in hospital there or has been in hospital there". It is thought Pell was taken to hospital when he first arrived in Rome after he collapsed due to ill health and exhaustion. He was released from hospital the same day and sources close to Pell said he had been in good health since.<ref>{{cite news |author=Vasek, Lanai |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/cardinal-george-pell-on-the-road-to-recovery/story-e6frg6nf-1225826892439 |title=Cardinal Pell on the road to recovery |work=The Australian |date=5 February 2010 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
Pell's heart condition was again in the news in late 2015 when it was judged serious enough to prevent air travel from Italy to Australia to appear before the [[Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]]. He was expected to be well enough to travel in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2015/12/11/pell-forced-return-australia-feb/ |date=11 December 2015 |accessdate=14 December 2015 |title=Pell to return in February |author=Megan Neil |publisher=The New Daily}}</ref> However, in the end he testified from a hotel in Rome through a video link up.<ref name="ABC too ill" /> Ballarat based state MP [[Sharon Knight (politician)|Sharon Knight]] said, after hearing that Pell would not return to Australia to appear before the commission due to an undisclosed heart condition by saying "if we do ever see you back in this country, then we will know that everything you have said about your health – everything that you have said to avoid personally appearing at the hearings – is an absolute sham."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3719299/sharon-knight-slams-cardinal-pell-in-parliament/|title=Sharon Knight slams Cardinal Pell in parliament|last=Dixon|first=Matthew|date=10 February 2016|work=The Courier|access-date=2017-12-31|language=en}}</ref>
==Views==
In the Australian context, Pell is regarded as progressive on many social issues but a conservative on matters of faith and morals.<ref name="thesydneyinstitute.com.au">{{cite speech |title=Cardinal George Pell's Book God and Caesar |author=Henderson, Gerard |authorlink=Gerard Henderson |date=29 October 2007 |location=Sydney, Australia |url=http://www.thesydneyinstitute.com.au/cardinal-george-pells-book-god-and-caesar/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320001131/http://www.thesydneyinstitute.com.au/cardinal-george-pells-book-god-and-caesar/ |archivedate=2015-03-20 |publisher=The Sydney Institute}}</ref> He has often been wary of what he calls the "callousness" of unrestrained capitalism. He has written that a Catholic is someone who is not only a person of personal conscience but "is someone who believes Christ is Son of God, accepts His teachings and lives a life of worship, service and duty in the community. Catholics are not created by the accident of birth to remain only because their tribe has an interesting history."<ref name="dailytelegraph.com.au">{{cite news |last=Pell |first=George |date=10 June 2007 |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/question-of-conscience/story-e6frezz0-1111113712980 |title=Question of conscience |work=The Sunday Telegraph |location=Australia |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
===Theology and worship===
====''Ad orientem'' liturgy====
Pell supports, in the abstract but not as a proposal for immediate application, mandatory celebration of the [[Canon of the Mass]] with the orientation of the priest ''[[ad orientem]]'', facing in the same direction as the congregation. "There's nothing like a consensus in favour of that at the moment", he said. "I think I would be in favour of it because it makes it patently clear that the priest is not the centre of the show, that this is an act of worship of the one true God, and the people are joining with the priest for that."<ref name=herald>{{cite news|date=20 March 2009|work=Catholic World News|title=Cardinal Pell hopes for mandatory ad orientem worship, says Obama has 'very slight curriculum vitae'|url=http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=2368}}</ref>
====Adam and Eve====
During a debate against [[Richard Dawkins]] on the show ''[[Q&A (Australian talk show)|Q&A]]'' in 2012, in response to whether there had ever been a Garden of Eden scenario with an "actual" Adam and Eve, Pell said:<ref name="qanda"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/adam-and-eve-thats-just-mythology-says-pell/story-e6frg6nf-1226322379822 |work=[[The Australian]] |title=Adam and Eve? That's just mythology, says Pell |first=Nicolas |last=Perpitch |date=10 April 2012 |accessdate=}}</ref>
{{quotation|Adam and Eve are terms – what do they mean: life and earth. It’s like every man. That’s a beautiful, sophisticated, mythological account. It’s not science but it’s there to tell us two or three things. First of all that God created the world and the universe. Secondly, that the key to the whole of universe, the really significant thing, are humans and, thirdly, it is a very sophisticated mythology to try to explain the evil and suffering in the world.}}
====Heaven and Hell====
Asked to describe his concept of [[heaven in Christianity|heaven]] for Australian television in 2012, Pell said:<ref name="qanda"/>
{{quotation|[I]n some sense we will be there as continuing persons. In some with a new heaven and a new earth with all the good things that we've done will be incorporated into the new heaven and new earth. How it will work out I don't know because, I think, physically and morally and intellectually we're at our peak at different stages in our life. How it will work out I've got no idea but that is the general outline of Christian teaching.}}
Asked about the subject of [[hell]], Pell said that he used the example of [[Hitler]] to explain the notion of a need for hell: "You think Hitler might be in hell? Started the Second World War, caused the death of 50 million or would you prefer a system where Hitler got away with it for free?"<ref name="qanda">{{cite news |date=9 April 2012 |title=Religion and Atheism |work=Q&A |publisher=ABC TV |location=Australia |url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s3469101.htm |accessdate=16 April 2012 |format=transcript}}</ref>
{{quotation|We Catholics generally believe that there is a hell. I hope nobody is there. I certainly believe in a place of purification. I think it will be like getting up in the morning and you throw the curtains back and the light is just too much. God's light would be too much for us. But I believe on behalf of the innocent victims in history that the scales of justice should work out. And if they don't, life is radically unjust, the law of the jungle prevails.}}
====Ordination of women and priestly celibacy====
Pell supported Pope John Paul II's view that the [[ordination of women]] as priests is impossible according to the church's divine constitution and has also expressed his opinion that abandoning the tradition of [[clerical celibacy]] would be a "serious blunder".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.opusbono.org/resources/CardinalPellEndingCelibacyRuleWouldBeaBlunder.asp |title=Cardinal Pell: Ending Celibacy Rule Would Be a Blunder |location=Vatican City |date=12 October 2005 |agency=Zenit |work=Opus Bono Sacerdotii |accessdate=5 May 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628063909/http://www.opusbono.org/resources/CardinalPellEndingCelibacyRuleWouldBeaBlunder.asp |archivedate=28 June 2006}}</ref>
====Society of St Pius X====
Pell has expressed agreement with the lifting of the [[excommunication]] of the four bishops of the [[Traditionalist Catholic]] [[Society of St. Pius X|Society of St Pius X]] (SSPX). He has said "I think it is certainly a worthy goal to try to reconcile that wing of the Church", but also insisted that the SSPX must accept the teachings of the [[Second Vatican Council]] before it can be fully reconciled with the [[Holy See]], saying: "I think it would be quite incongruous wanting to be formally reconciled with the Church if you are explicitly disavowing key elements of Vatican II", among which he mentioned the teaching that "the state cannot coerce belief" and the council's "condemnation of [[Antisemitism|anti-semitism]]".<ref>{{cite interview |last=Pell |first=George |interviewer=Coppen, Luke |title=Cardinal Pell on SSPX |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Kt2PMa4zY |via=YouTube |work=The Catholic Herald |location=Merton College, Oxford |date=8 March 2009 |accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref>
===Pope Benedict XVI===
Pell commented publicly that the decision of [[Pope Benedict XVI]] to retire in 2013 could set a precedent which may be a problem for future leaders. He said Benedict's decision to step down had destabilised the church and some of those surrounding the Pope had failed to support him in his ministry. "He was well aware that this is a break with tradition [and] slightly destabilising", Pell said. According to him, the Pope was a better theologian than he was a leader.<ref name="abc">{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-28/pell-criticises-popes-decision-to-quit/4544294|title=Pell criticises Pope's decision to quit|date=28 February 2013|work=ABC News |location=Australia |author1=Gearin, Mary |accessdate=6 March 2013}}</ref>
In response to the claim that he had criticised Benedict XVI, Pell confirmed he was stating what the Pope already mentioned himself, and his comments were "not breaking any ground".<ref name="abc" />
During a youth conference in Parramatta, Bishop [[Anthony Fisher]] confirmed that Pell was merely "stating the pros and cons of the Pope's decision" and those who claimed his comments were critical were taking him out of context.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xt3.com/library/view.php?id=3370&categoryId=26&episodeId=1896|title=Theology on Tap – Sydney – Xt3 Library|publisher=}}</ref>
===Political issues===
====Afghanistan and Iraq Wars====
Pell has written that he supported the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan War]] but believed that the [[Iraq War]] was "not morally justified".<ref>{{cite news |last=Pell |first=George |date=4 May 2008 |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/christians-at-mercy-of-fanatics/story-e6frezz0-1111116236602 |title=Christians at mercy of fanatics |work=The Sunday Telegraph |location=Australia |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
====Asylum seekers and refugees====
Pell has criticised the bipartisan policy of mandatory detention of asylum seekers in Australia and called for "empathy and compassion" towards displaced peoples.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pell |first=George |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/stc/2001/2001819_1271.shtml |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |title=Most Churches in Australia observe next Sunday as Refugee Sunday |date=19 August 2001 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref> Pell said that while a policy of deterrence was justifiable, the practice of the policy was coming at too great a "moral cost".<ref>{{cite news |format=transcript |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/stories/s468643.htm |work=Lateline |date=28 January 2002 |title=Labor rethinks detention stance |publisher=ABC1 |location=Australia |accessdate=8 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731041327/http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/stories/s468643.htm |archive-date=31 July 2016 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Describing conditions in some of Australia's mandatory detention camps in 2001 as "pretty tight and miserable" and "no place for women and children", Pell called for investigation of any maltreatment of detainees and said that, while Australia has the right to regulate the number of refugees it accepts, as a rich and prosperous country, it can "afford to be generous" and must treat humanely those refugees who reach Australia.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Pell |first=George |interviewer=John Cleary |title=George Pell – Catholics Archbishop |publisher =ABC Radio |date=16 September 2001 |work=Sunday Nights |accessdate=8 August 2011 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/sundaynights/stories/s1237720.htm |type=transcript}}</ref>
====Australian republicanism====
Pell was appointed a delegate to the [[Australian Constitutional Convention 1998]] which considered the issue of Australia becoming a republic. Pell supported change, and called on Australia's political leaders to embrace the republic, noting "Without support from most of the front benches of both sides of the parliament, it would be wasteful to go to a referendum." Towards the end of proceedings, he called on conservatives to support change.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://202.14.81.230/hansard/conv/con1302.pdf |format=PDF |work=Constitutional Convention: 2 to 13 February 1998 |title=Transcript of Proceedings |date=13 February 1998 |location=Old Parliament House, Canberra |accessdate=13 March 2012 }}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
====Syrian Civil War====
Pell believes western countries should not intervene in the [[Syrian Civil War]] as [[Bashar al-Assad]] provides basic law and order for the population and basic protection for the Christians.<ref>{{cite news |title='Arab Spring' turns to winter for Syria |url=http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/article.php?classID=3&subclassID=7&articleID=11696&class=Features&subclass=Cardinal%27s%20Comment |last=Pell |first=George |work=The Catholic Weekly |date=17 February 2013 |accessdate=22 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522173527/http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/article.php?classID=3&subclassID=7&articleID=11696&class=Features&subclass=Cardinal%27s%20Comment |archive-date=22 May 2015 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
===World leaders===
====John Howard====
When [[John Howard]] departed the office of [[Prime Minister of Australia]] following the [[Australian federal election, 2007|2007 Australian federal election]], Pell wrote that, along with [[Bob Hawke]], Howard had been the outstanding figure of Australian life since [[Robert Menzies]] and that he had brought 11 years of prosperity and "changed Australian life for the better".<ref name="CW2007">{{cite news |last=Pell |first=George |url=http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/article.php?classID=3&subclassID=7&articleID=3845&class=Features&subclass=Cardinal%C3%83%20%20%20%20%20%C2%A2%C3%A2%EF%BF%BD%E2%82%AC%20%C2%AC%C3%A2%E2%80%9E%C2%A2s%20Comment |title=Govt steps into big shoes |date=9 December 2007 |work=The Catholic Weekly |accessdate=24 April 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Pell wrote that Howard "understood that traditional families are the cement which hold society together and he was generally supportive of Christian values". Pell said that Howard went a step too far on industrial relations policy and that the Iraq War did not go well, but that the "biggest blot on his record will remain the treatment of the refugees".<ref name="CW2007"/>
====John F. Kennedy====
Pell describes himself as "an old Kennedy groupie" – referring to [[John F. Kennedy]], the first Catholic [[President of the United States]].<ref name="thesydneyinstitute.com.au"/>
====Barack Obama====
Following the 2008 election of [[Barack Obama]] as US President, Pell wrote for ''The Sunday Telegraph'' that "Obama is a superb orator with a gift for language and a capacity to inspire loyalty and hope" and that the "importance of a black President for the U.S.A. and the world cannot be underestimated; especially a black President with a Muslim father. No country in Europe could produce such a result."<ref name="Pell">{{cite web |last=Pell |first=George |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/stc/2008/2008119_174.shtml |title=History in the Making |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |date=9 November 2008 |accessdate=8 August 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722140924/http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/stc/2008/2008119_174.shtml |archivedate=22 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Pell expressed a need for universal health care in the United States, but criticised Obama's support for abortion, saying that he had the "most anti-life voting record of any contemporary senator" which, Pell wrote, "contrasts strongly with his humanitarianism in many other areas". Pell said that Obama would have to move beyond the "radical left" if he wanted to "win over the middle ground in the fight for healing and prosperity".<ref name="Pell"/> In a 2009 interview with ''The Catholic Herald'', Pell said of Obama, "[H]is [[Barack Obama social policy|record]] on [[Abortion|life]] issues is very, very bad indeed" and expressed his opposition to the [[Freedom of Choice Act]].<ref name=herald/>
====Kevin Rudd====
When the [[Australian Labor Party]] replaced [[Kevin Rudd]] as its leader in 2010 and [[Julia Gillard]] became the Prime Minister of Australia, Pell wrote that "As leaders Rudd and [[Opposition leader]] [[Tony Abbott]] are historically unusual by Australian standards because both worship regularly and have publicly acknowledged the huge Christian contribution to Australia. The rise and fall of Kevin Rudd has no parallel nationally. While he talked himself out of his job with his inflated rhetoric, he had many virtues and Australia avoided recession. John Howard was voted out by the Australian public; Rudd's departure will leave a nasty taste in many mouths."<ref>{{cite web |last=Pell |first=George |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/stc/2010/2010627_929.shtml |title=Christian Churches |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |date=27 June 2010 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
===Environmental positions===
Pell is known as a [[Climate change denial|climate change denier]],<ref name="Pruitt2018">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/11/climate/pruitt-cardinal-pell-dinner.html|title=Pruitt's Dinner With Cardinal Accused of Abuse Was Kept Off Public Schedule|date=10 May 2018}}</ref> and aroused criticism from Australian Senator [[Christine Milne]]{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} of the [[Australian Greens|Greens]] political party with the following comment in his 2006 Legatus Summit speech:<ref name="Islam2006">{{cite news |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Archbishop/Addresses/200627_681.shtml |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060605154745/http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Archbishop/Addresses/200627_681.shtml |archivedate=2006-06-05 |title=Islam and Western Democracies |date=4 February 2006}}</ref>
{{quote|Some of the hysteric and extreme claims about global warming are also a symptom of pagan emptiness, of Western fear when confronted by the immense and basically uncontrollable forces of nature. Belief in a benign God who is master of the universe has a steadying psychological effect, although it is no guarantee of Utopia, no guarantee that the continuing climate and geographic changes will be benign. In the past pagans sacrificed animals and even humans in vain attempts to placate capricious and cruel gods. Today they demand a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.}}
In a 2007 article for the Sydney ''[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Sunday Telegraph]]'', Pell wrote that while climate had changed, he was '"certainly sceptical about extravagant claims of impending man-made climatic catastrophes, because the evidence is insufficient".<ref>{{cite news |last=Pell |first=George |date=28 October 2007 |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/jury-out-on-climate-change/story-e6frezz0-1111114738235 |title=Jury out on climate change |work=The Sunday Telegraph |location=Australia |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
Responding to the Anglican bishop and environmentalist [[George Browning (bishop)|George Browning]], who told the [[Anglican Church of Australia]]'s general synod that Pell was out of touch with the Catholic Church as well as with the general community,<ref name=Rowbotham>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22644133-12339,00.html |title=Heat on Pell for cool air on climate change |author=Rowbotham, Jill |work=The Australian |date=25 October 2007 |accessdate=7 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030001833/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22644133-12339,00.html |archive-date=30 October 2007 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Pell stated:<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/pell-out-of-touch-on-climate--bishop/2007/10/24/1192941153341.html |title=Pell out of touch on climate – bishop |date=25 October 2007 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |author=Morris, Linda |accessdate=13 March 2012}}</ref>
{{quote|Radical environmentalists are more than up to the task of moralising their own agenda and imposing it on people through fear. They don't need church leaders to help them with this, although it is a very effective way of further muting Christian witness. Church leaders in particular should be allergic to nonsense..... I am certainly sceptical about extravagant claims of impending man-made climatic catastrophes. Uncertainties on climate change abound ... my task as a Christian leader is to engage with reality, to contribute to debate on important issues, to open people's minds, and to point out when the emperor is wearing few or no clothes.}}
Pell has criticised [[Pope Francis]] for the [[encyclical]] ''[[Laudato si']]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/cardinal-george-pell-criticises-pope-francis-over-climate-change-stance-20150718-gifhjt.html|title=Cardinal George Pell criticises Pope Francis over climate change stance|date=19 July 2015|work=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>
===Interfaith issues===
====Islam====
Pell has written of a need to "deepen friendship and understanding" with [[Muslim]]s in the post–[[September 11 attacks|September 11]] environment and has said that though there is a continuing struggle throughout the Muslim world between moderates and men of violence, he believes that, in Australia, "the moderates are in control".<ref>{{cite news |title=Ramadan |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/people/archbishop/stc/2010/2010919_707.shtml |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |date=19 September 2010 |accessdate=8 August 2011 |last=Pell |first=George}}</ref>
In 2004, speaking to the [[Acton Institute]] on the problems of "secular democracy", Pell drew a parallel between [[Islam]] and [[communism]]: "Islam may provide in the 21st century, the attraction that communism provided in the 20th, both for those that are alienated and embittered on the one hand and for those who seek order or justice on the other."<ref>{{cite speech |title=Is there only secular democracy? Imagining other possibilities for the third millennium |last=Pell |first=George |date=12 October 2004 |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |event=Acton Institute Annual Dinner |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Archbishop/Addresses/20041012_1658.shtml |format=transcript |accessdate=8 May 2006 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208065454/http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Archbishop/Addresses/20041012_1658.shtml |archivedate=8 February 2006}}</ref>
In 2006, at the Legatus Summit in [[Naples, Florida|Naples]], [[Florida]], Pell stated: "Considered strictly on its own terms, Islam is not a tolerant religion and its capacity for far-reaching renovation is severely limited."<ref name="Islam2006"/>
However, he added that the human factor of many Muslims being uncomfortable with the violence and harsh intolerance of traditional Islamic practices provides hope for positive change as has occurred in more moderate Muslim nations. He continued by "denouncing the blithe encouragement of large scale Islamic migration into Western nations" and saying it had a "detrimental impact on economic and cultural development at certain times and in certain places".<ref name="Islam2006"/>
In 2012 and 2013, Pell hosted [[Iftar]] dinners to mark the end of the Islamic celebration of [[Ramadan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2013/201387_547.shtml|title=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney – News|publisher=}}</ref> The [[Grand Mufti of Australia]], [[Ibrahim Abu Mohamed]], expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Pell on behalf of Muslims for hosting the dinner.<ref name="sydneycatholic.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/201283_220.shtml|title=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney – News|publisher=}}</ref> Pell said during the 2012 dinner that such gatherings are one of the fruits of tolerance that flourishes in Australian society and is a sign of respect for diversity, stating:<ref name="sydneycatholic.org"/>
{{quote|We are all called to be instruments of peace and harmony among aggressors and those who practice terrorism although we worship the one God in different ways... We gather united in our plans for respect and friendship.}}
====Judaism====
Pell has participated in many [[interfaith dialogue]]s and celebrations involving Jewish people. In 2001, he told one such audience at [[Mandelbaum House]] that he had come from a strongly pro-Jewish family and of being saddened during his studies of history to find Christian ill-treatment of Jews. Pell spoke of the need to remember the Holocaust and of his visits to concentration camps and of his support for the right of the state of [[Israel]] to exist. He praised the role of Vatican II and of Pope John Paul II in advancing the cause of Christian-Jewish dialogue and co-operation. Pell also spoke in praise of the Jewish [[psalms]] as "a body of prayerful literature" unequalled in any other tradition and singled out the Jewish prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel as authors for whom he has a deep love and Elijah as one whom he views as highly significant. Pell called on Christian and Jewish leaders alike to speak together and respectfully listen to each other, saying of the Christian-Jewish relationship:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sydneycatholic.org/people/archbishop/addresses/2001/2001514_866.shtml |title=Christians & Jews: the way ahead |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |last=Pell |first=George |date=14 May 2001 |accessdate=23 April 2012}}</ref>
{{quote|During the last 30 or 40 years there has been a significant reduction in the amount of Christian anti-Semitism. We thank God for that. To adapt to our circumstances the word of Martin Luther King "we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly". Our fortunes, as brothers, are inextricably linked.}}
During a 2012 televised panel discussion including himself and [[Richard Dawkins]] on the Australian TV programme [[Q&A (Australian talk show)|Q&A]], Pell stated that he had "a great admiration for the Jews" and repeatedly condemned Adolf Hitler. During the course of the discussion, ABC moderator Tony Jones sought to imply [[anti-Semitism]] in Pell's remarks regarding the relative intellectual development of ancient Jewish society with that of great powers like Egypt, as well as in Pell's comment that Germany was punished for its role in the Second World War.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://galusaustralis.com/2012/04/5840/cardinal-pell-not-anti-semitic-but-dawkins-is-humourless/ |title=Cardinal Pell not anti-Semitic but Dawkins is Humourless |date=10 April 2012 |accessdate=23 April 2012 |work=Galus Australia |author=Frosh, Anthony}}</ref>
In responding to a series of questions by Jones as to why God would "randomly decide to provide proof of his existence to a small group of Jews 2,000 years ago", Pell said that, while the intellectual life of the ancient Jews was not the equal of the surrounding great powers like Egypt, Persia and Chaldea, "Jesus came not as a philosopher to the elite. He came to the poor and the battlers". Jones cross examined Pell over his use of the word "intellectual" and Pell said (in reference to Biblical times) that "the little Jewish people, they were originally shepherds. They were stuck. They're still stuck between these great powers."<ref name="qanda"/>
Referring to "[[The Holocaust]], to genocide, to famine", Jones asked why an omnipotent God would permit such events to occur. In response, Pell and Jones had the following exchange:<ref name="qanda"/>
{{quote|
* Pell: That's a mighty question. He helped probably through secondary causes for the Jews to escape and continue. It is interesting through these secondary causes probably no people in history have been punished the way the Germans were. It is a terrible mystery.
* Moderator: There would be a very strong argument saying that the Jews of Europe suffered worse than the Germans.
* Pell: Yes, that might be right. Certainly the suffering in both I mean the Jews there was no reason why they should suffer.}}
Pell's remarks were widely misreported and misinterpreted, leading to a clarification from his office – reported by ''[[The Times of Israel]]'' as an apology.<ref name="pell-toi">{{cite news |title=Australian cardinal apologizes for 'problematic' remarks on Jews|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/australian-cardinal-apologizes-for-anti-semetic-remarks/|work=The Times of Israel|accessdate=16 April 2012 |date=15 April 2012 |agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}}</ref> Pell said, "My commitment to friendship with the Jewish community, and my esteem for the Jewish faith is a matter of public record, and the last thing I would want to do is give offence to either" and that the Holocaust was "a crime unique in history for the death and suffering it caused and its diabolical attempt to wipe out an entire people."<ref name="pell-toi" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Pearlman |first=Jonathan |date=12 April 2012 |title=Australia's most senior-ranked Catholic says Jews 'intellectually and morally inferior' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9199453/Australias-most-senior-ranked-Catholic-says-Jews-intellectually-and-morally-inferior.html |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=15 July 2017}}</ref>
===Sexuality, marriage and bioethics===
Pell has received much attention for his attitudes to sexuality issues, particularly [[homosexuality]]. He has said that "Christian teaching on sexuality is only one part of the [[Ten Commandments]], of the virtues and vices, but it is essential for human wellbeing and especially for the proper flourishing of marriages and families, for the continuity of the human race."<ref name=installed>{{cite journal |url=http://www.ad2000.com.au/articles/2001/jun2001p3_455.html |title=Archbishop Pell installed in Sydney |journal=AD2000 |volume=14 |number=5 |date=June 2001 |page=3 |author=Gilchrist, Michael |accessdate=8 August 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628221339/http://www.ad2000.com.au/articles/2001/jun2001p3_455.html |archivedate=28 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Upon becoming Archbishop of Sydney, he stated: "Any genuine religion has two important moral tasks; firstly, to present norms and ideals, goals for our striving; and secondly, to offer aids for our weakness, forgiveness and healing for every wrong doer and sinner who repents and seeks forgiveness."<ref name=installed/>
====Divorce====
Pell says that, outside exceptional circumstances such as relationships involving physical abuse, it is better for individuals and for society if couples do not divorce, particularly where children are involved.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pell |first=George |url=https://www.sydneycatholic.org/people/archbishop/stc/2001/2001722_886.shtml |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |title=Family Life Today |date=22 July 2001 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
In 2001, [[ABC Radio and Regional Content|ABC radio's]] ''The World Today'' reported that Pell wanted a return to a divorce system based on the fault of one spouse. Pell told the program that, in an effort to "focus attention on the damage, personal and financial, that unfortunately often follows from divorce" he had prepared a list for public consideration of possible penalties to discourage divorce (particularly where fault by one party was involved); as well as benefits to support couples who stayed together.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
====Gay rights====
In 1990, Pell stated publicly that while he recognised that [[homosexuality]] existed, such activity was nevertheless wrong and "for the good of society it should not be encouraged." He has also expressed his belief that suicide linked to [[homophobia]] was a valid reason to discourage recognition of a gay identity, arguing that "Homosexual activity is a much greater health hazard than smoking." He opposed Australian legislation in 2006 that would have permitted gay couples to adopt children. In 2007, Pell said that discrimination against people that are gay was not comparable to that against racial minorities.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jackman, Josh |title=Pope's former aide who said being gay is ‘wrong’ faces trial for sex offences |work=Pink News |date=1 May 2018 |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/05/01/popes-former-aide-who-said-being-gay-is-wrong-faces-trial-for-sex-offences/ |accessdate= }}</ref>
====HIV/AIDS====
{{see also|Religion and AIDS}}
In 2009, Pell supported the comments made by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] in Africa in relation to controlling the spread of AIDS, in which the Pope reiterated the Catholic teaching that the solution to the AIDS epidemic lay not in the distribution of condoms, but in the practice of sexual abstinence and monogamy within marriage. The Pope said that AIDS could not be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which "can even increase the problem". In response to global coverage of these remarks, Pell said that AIDS was a "great spiritual and health crisis" and a huge challenge, but that "Condoms are encouraging promiscuity. They are encouraging irresponsibility."<ref name="Aust-condom">{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/condoms-will-not-save-africa-pell/story-e6frg6nf-1225697020673 |title=Condoms will not save Africa: Archbishop George Pell |author=Stapleton, John |work=The Australian |date=11 April 2009 |accessdate=26 April 2009}}</ref>
{{quote|The idea that you can solve a great spiritual and health crisis like AIDS with a few mechanical contraptions like condoms is ridiculous. If you look at the Philippines you'll see the incidence of AIDS is much lower than it is in Thailand, which is awash with condoms. There are condoms everywhere and the rate of infection is enormous.}}
The president of the AIDS Council of NSW, [[Marc Orr]], said Pell's comments were "irresponsible" and "contradicted all evidence" that condoms reduced the transmission of HIV:<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/pell-backs-pope-in-saying-condoms-worsen-aids-spread-20090410-a2u0.html |title=Pell backs Pope in saying condoms worsen AIDS spread |author=Tovey, Josephine |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 April 2009 |accessdate=26 April 2009}}</ref> Mike Toole ([[Burnet Institute]]) and Rob Moodie (Nossal Institute for Global Health) wrote in ''[[The Age]]'' that Pell had said a health worker from an African country told him that "people in remote areas are too poor to afford condoms and the ones that are available are often of very poor quality and weren't used effectively". Both professors argue that "this is not an argument against promoting condoms – it is an argument that we need to ensure that good quality condoms are affordable for everyone and are widely distributed with information about how to use them effectively" and concluded "the sexual abstinence message is clearly not working."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/the-evidence-on-preventing-aids-is-clear-20090413-a4rs.html?page=-1 |title=The evidence on preventing AIDS is clear |first1=Mike |last1=Toole |first2=Rob |last2=Moodie |work=The Age |date=14 April 2009 |accessdate=26 April 2009}}</ref>
In 2010, in ''Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times'', a book-length interview by German journalist Peter Seewald, Benedict said that while the church did not consider condoms as a "real or moral solution", there were times where the "intention of reducing the risk of infection" made condom use "a first step" towards a better way. Pell released a statement saying this did not signal a major new shift in Vatican thinking.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/news/features/2010/20101124_115.shtml |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |title=Pope's "Light of the World" Interview Sends Media into Meltdown |date=24 November 2010 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
As Archbishop of Sydney, Pell supported the work of Catholic health organisations such as [[St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney|St Vincent's Hospital]] and the Tree of Hope Centre in caring for those living with HIV/AIDS.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2010/20101130_1402.shtml |publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney |title=Reason for Optimism on World AIDS Day 2010 |date=30 November 2010 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
====Stem cell research====
Pell supports research on the therapeutic potential of [[adult stem cells]] but opposes [[embryonic stem cell]] research on the basis that the church cannot support anything which involves "the destruction of human life at any stage after conception". Under Pell, the Sydney archdiocese has provided funding for adult stem cell research but has actively opposed moves by the [[Parliament of New South Wales]] to liberalise laws pertaining to use of embryonic stem cells.<ref name="dailytelegraph.com.au"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/1028159/catholic-church-funds-stem-cell-research |title=Catholic Church funds stem cell research |work=9News |date=17 March 2010 |agency=Australian Associated Press |accessdate=9 April 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003190011/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/1028159/catholic-church-funds-stem-cell-research |archivedate=3 October 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
In remarks made at a media conference, in June 2007 on a [[conscience vote]] overturning the state ban on [[therapeutic cloning]], Pell said that "Catholic politicians who vote for this legislation must realise that their voting has consequences for their place in the life of the church."<ref name=Kaveny>{{cite book|last=Kaveny|first=Cathleen|author-link=Cathleen Kaveny|year=2016|title=A Culture of Engagement: Law, Religion, and Morality|series=Moral Tradition Series|location=Washington|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=978-1-62616-302-7}}</ref>{{rp|133}}<ref name="MPs turn attack back on Cardinal Pell">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/MPs-turn-attack-back-on-Cardinal-Pell/2007/06/06/1181089126575.html |title=MPs turn attack back on Cardinal Pell |agency=Australian Associated Press |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=6 June 2007}}</ref> Some members of parliament, including ministers such as [[Kristina Keneally]] and [[Nathan Rees]], condemned Pell's comments, calling them hypocritical; Rees drew comparisons with comments made earlier in the year by [[Taj El-Din Hilaly|Sheik Hilali]].<ref name="MPs turn attack back on Cardinal Pell"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21859144-2,00.html |title=Cardinal Pell sounding like Sheik Hilali, MP says |agency=[[Australian Associated Press]] |work=News.com.au |date=6 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009214143/http://www.news.com.au/story/0%2C23599%2C21859144-2%2C00.html |archive-date=9 October 2007 |accessdate=9 April 2012 |deadurl=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Australian Greens]] MLC [[Lee Rhiannon]] referred Pell's remarks to the New South Wales [[parliamentary privilege]]s committee for allegedly being in [[Contempt of Parliament#Australia|contempt of parliament]]. Pell described this move as a "clumsy attempt to curb religious freedom and freedom of speech".<ref>{{cite news |title=Pell slams 'stalinist' parliamentary contempt probe |url=http://cathnews.acu.edu.au/706/83.php |work=CatholicNews |date=18 June 2007 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref> In September the committee tabled a report clearing him of this charge and recommending that no further action be taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/73A134BD8CA52844CA2572FB0014E42B |title=Inquiry into comments made by Cardinal George Pell |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |work=Privileges Committee of the Legislative Council |date=19 September 2007 |accessdate=8 August 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316143541/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/73A134BD8CA52844CA2572FB0014E42B |archivedate=16 March 2011 |df=dmy}}</ref>
The legal scholar and theologian [[Cathleen Kaveny]] wrote that "In every possible respect, Pell's statement backfired" as, following backlash from elected officials and the general public, the bill passed the lower house with what she describes as "an overwhelming 65–26 vote" and passed the upper house with a 27–13 vote.<ref name=Kaveny/>{{rp|133–134}}
==Other roles==
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney takes the role of [[visitor]]<ref>{{ Cite Legislation AU |NSW|act|sjca1857192|Saint John's College Act 1857|4}}</ref> of [[St John's College, University of Sydney|St John's College]], a residential college within the [[University of Sydney]]. This is a largely ceremonial role but he can also be called upon to give guidance and resolve internal disputes. Under the direction of the archbishop the college associates itself with the interests of the church and its mission, particularly by the fostering of appropriate academic directions in education, charity, social justice, ethics and the environment.
Pell accepted the invitation to be patron of the [[Oxford University Newman Society]] and to deliver their inaugural St Thomas More Lecture on 6 March 2009.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}
Pell is a regular contributor of articles for the [[Australian media]], including regular columns for Sydney's ''The Sunday Telegraph'' newspaper.
Pell is a former Fellow of the [[Australian College of Education]].
=={{anchor|Sexual abuse by clergy and members of religious orders}}Handling of sexual abuse cases by clergy while archbishop==
Pell's tenure as Archbishop of Melbourne began when the issue of handling of child sex abuse allegations by institutions was coming to the fore in public debate. Launching his pioneering Melbourne Response protocol in 1996, Pell said: "It's a matter of regret that the Catholic Church has taken some time to come to grips with the sex abuse issue adequately."<ref name="ABC-Pell-charged"/> In his final sermon as Archbishop of Sydney in 2014 before departing Australia for Rome, Pell told the congregation "I apologise once again to the victims and their families for the terrible suffering that has been brought to bear by these crimes". He said procedural improvements could still be made to the church's efforts against abuse, and then he added that he "looked forward" to the findings of the [[Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]] which he said was providing a "public service" in allowing victims to air their experiences. His choice of words drew wide criticism as they were perceived as being inappropriately blithe & unempathetic to the victims of the abuse.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/28/cardinal-george-pell-apologises-to-victims-of-sexual-abuse Cardinal George Pell uses sermon to apologise to victims of sexual abuse]; www.theguardian.com; 28/3/15</ref>
==="Melbourne Response"===
After being installed as Archbishop of Melbourne in August 1996, Pell announced the establishment of the "Melbourne Response" protocol in October of that year.<ref name="SBS Career"/><ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse">{{cite book|author=Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse|author-link=Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse|year=2015|title=Report of Case Study No. 16: The Melbourne Response|url=http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/232af799-8292-4709-a392-5d8bc7d3e77c/Report-of-Case-Study-No-16|location=Sydney|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|isbn=978-1-925289-29-9|access-date=6 July 2017}}</ref>{{rp|29, 31}} Victims were publicly encouraged to come forward. When Pell was appointed a Cardinal in 2003, the ABC noted that he had established Australia's first independent commissioner to handle sexual abuse complaints against clergy.<ref name="newest"/> In 2017, it reported that the Melbourne Response was "widely criticised as being legalistic and offering inadequate support to victims".<ref name="ABC-Pell-charged" />
After his elevation to the archiepiscopacy in 1996, Pell discussed the issue of child abuse with the Victorian Premier, Governor and retired judge Richard McGarvie, who all recommended swift action. Pell pre-empted the national Church response, known as "Towards Healing" which the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference approved in November, and which began operating in March.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/royal-commission-provides-an-opportunity-to-further-the-pell-response-20140309-34f9p.html#ixzz3g73uKYDi|title=Royal commission provides an opportunity to further the Pell response|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=9 March 2014|author=|access-date=}}</ref> He engaged the law firm Corrs to draft a scheme which would be funded by but operate independently of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.<ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/>{{rp|29–30}} A public forum was held on 19 October, and the Melbourne Response was announced on 30 October 1996.<ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/>{{rp|30–31}}
The Melbourne Response was the subject of Case Study 16 in the 2013–2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and was also examined in the 2013 Victorian government Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Organisations. Pell was called to testify at both inquiries.<ref name="SBS Career"/><ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/>
According to the royal commission, the Melbourne Response set its goals as "truth, humility, healing for the victims, assistance to other persons affected, an adequate response to those accused and to offenders and the prevention of any such offences in the future".<ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/>{{rp|32}} Its key features were the appointment of Independent Commissioners to inquire into allegations and make recommendations; a counselling and support service (Carelink); and the establishment of a Compensation Panel to advise on making "ex-gratia" payments to victims of abuse.<ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/> The ''[[ex gratia]]'' payments are made without the church recognising any liability to victims and were initially capped at $50,000.<ref name="ABC-Pell-charged" /> It was increased to $55,000 in 2000 and to $75,000 in 2008.<ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/> Peter O'Callaghan was appointed the first Independent Commissioner. He went on to investigate 351 complaints of child abuse, and upheld 97% of those.<ref name="RoyalCommission2015MelbourneResponse"/>{{rp|6}}
===2013 Victorian parliamentary inquiry===
On 27 May 2013, Pell gave evidence before [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]'s Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Organisations.<ref name = Age-Victoria-Inquiry>{{cite news|last = Goddard|first = Chris|newspaper = [[The Age]]|url = http://www.theage.com.au/comment/minimising-crimes-how-the-church-is-playing-with-words-20130531-2nh9v.html|title = Minimising crimes: How the church is playing with words|date = 1 June 2013|accessdate = 29 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-27/cardinal-george-pell-appears-at-sex-abuse-inquiry/4714964 |title=Cardinal George Pell admits Church covered up cases of child sex abuse|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News|date=27 May 2013|author=Brigid Andersen|accessdate= 29 June 2017}}</ref> Pell told the inquiry he was "fully apologetic and absolutely sorry". The parliamentarians questioned Pell over allegations from the parents of a victim that he had not shown them empathy. Pell said he had in fact fully understood the suffering. Pell agreed with the inquiry that his predecessor had "covered up" matters for fear of scandal. The Cardinal was heckled from the gallery.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3768499.htm Cardinal George Pell 'sorry' for Church abuse]; abc.net.au; 27/5/13</ref>
Pell critic David Marr wrote that "He [Pell] admitted his church had covered up abuse for fear of scandal; that his predecessor Archbishop Little had destroyed records, moved paedophile priests from parish to parish and facilitated appalling crimes."<ref name = Victoria-Inquiry-Marr>{{cite news|last = Marr|first = David |authorlink = David Marr (journalist)|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/28/george-pell-cardinal-abuse-inquiry|title = George Pell: Everything except his testimony spoke of power|newspaper = [[The Guardian]]|date = 28 May 2013|accessdate = 29 June 2017}}</ref>
During the course of the Inquiry, a victim of a paedophile Christian Brother at St Alipius Primary School claimed that in 1969 Pell heard him pleading for help a few weeks after he had been raped. Pell denied the claim, which was later discredited when Pell produced his passport to confirm that he was not living in Australia that year.<ref name="couriermail.com.au"/> In 2015, the complainant's story received wide publicity prior to Pell producing his passport.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
===Response to historic allegations in Sydney===
During Pell's time as Archbishop of Sydney, allegations of sexual abuse were made against around 55 priests in the archdiocese. These were largely related to incidents that occurred prior to his arrival as archbishop. The allegations resulted in just under $8 million in reparation payments.<ref name="benns1">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/lawyers-acting-for-church-run-up-15m-bill-against-victim-who-wanted-to-settle-for-just-100000/story-fni0cx4q-1226850371840 |first=Matthew |last=Benns |title=Lawyers acting for Church run up $1.5m bill against victim who wanted to settle for just $100,000 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=10 March 2014 |accessdate=}}</ref>
===Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse===
In late 2012, the Australian federal government announced the establishment of a [[Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse]]. The royal commission hearings were conducted between 2013 and 2017. Pell gave evidence on three occasions to the royal commission beginning in March 2014 in Sydney and via video link from the Vatican in August 2014 and in February/March 2016.<ref name="SBS Career" />
In a televised media conference after the announcement of the royal commission in 2012, Pell welcomed the inquiry and said "We think this is an opportunity to help the victims, it's an opportunity to clear the air and separate fact from fiction." He said there had been a persistent "press campaign against the Catholic Church".<ref name="News.com.au">{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/defiant-cardinal-george-pell-says-sex-abuse-royal-commission-will-separate-fact-from-fiction/story-fndo4eg9-1226515895912 |title=Defiant Cardinal George Pell says sex abuse royal commission will 'separate fact from fiction' |date=13 November 2012 |agency=AAP |work=News.com.au |accessdate=29 January 2013}}</ref> At this conference he also made comments about upholding the Seal of the Confessional which received negative press (see below).
Pell used his 2012 Christmas address as Archbishop of Sydney to express his "shock and shame" at revelations of crime and wrongdoing by Christians, which he called "disasters", completely contrary to Christ's teaching. He said he was "deeply sorry this has happened" and told his listeners to "help those who have been hurt".<ref>[http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-12-24/pell-says-sorry-to-abuse-victims-in-christmas-message/1065272 Pell says sorry to abuse victims in Christmas message]; www.radioaustralia.net.au; 24 December 2012</ref><ref>{{cite news |agency=AAP |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/gillard-abbott-use-christmas-message-to-thank-troops-abroad/story-fngburq5-1226543052604 |title=Pell apology 'a cultural shift' for Catholic church over child sex abuse |author=Owens, Jared |author2=Perpitch, Nicolas |work=The Australian |date=24 December 2012 |accessdate=29 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell says sorry to victims of clergy abuse |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/catholic-archbishop-of-sydney-cardinal-george-pell-says-sorry-to-victims-of-clergy-abuse/story-fncynjr2-1226542753298 |date=24 December 2012 |agency=AAP |accessdate=29 January 2013 |work=News.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |format=streaming video |url=http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/cardinal-pells-christmas-message-3911373.html |title=Cardinal Pell's Christmas message |date=24 December 2012 |accessdate=29 January 2013 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310130608/http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/cardinal-pells-christmas-message-3911373.html |archive-date=10 March 2014 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
====Comments upholding the Seal of Confession====
The announcement of the royal commission was accompanied by calls from some quarters for the relaxing of the requirement of confidentiality in confessions, which has been upheld by the Catholic Church since the fifth century, and is protected under [[law of Australia|Australian law]] in such statutes as the Evidence Act 1995 (which also provides protections for lawyers, journalists and spouses).<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/national/jail-threat-for-clergy-who-hide-abuse-20121114-29cps.html Jail threat for clergy who hide abuse]; smh.com.au; 15 Nov 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ea199580/s127.html Evidence Act 1995]; Commonwealth Consolidated Acts</ref><ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/confessional-also-has-protection-of-the-law/news-story/fc8a5fed813c53e6ad213a1875818480 Confessional also has protection of the law]; Rocco Mimmo; theaustralian.com.au</ref> At his press conference regarding the announcement of the royal commission, Pell was asked whether he thought that priests who hear confessions from people who commit child sex abuse must remain bound by the [[Seal of the Confessional and the Catholic Church|Seal of Confession]]. Pell replied:<ref name="News.com.au"/><ref name="Sales, Leigh">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3632078.htm |title=Archbishop Pell reacts to abuse inquiry |format=transcript |date=13 November 2012 |work=7.30 Report |publisher=ABCTV |location=Australia |accessdate=29 January 2013 |author=Sales, Leigh |authorlink=Leigh Sales}}</ref><ref name="Owens, Jared">{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/confessions-still-sacrosanct-says-cardinal-george-pell/story-fngburq5-1226516219054 |title=Confessions still sacrosanct, says Cardinal George Pell |author=Owens, Jared |author2=Perpitch, Nicolas |work=The Australian |date=14 November 2012 |accessdate=29 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="Tovey, Josephine">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/abuse-confessions-should-not-be-secret-ofarrell-20121113-29aii.html |title=Abuse confessions should not be secret: O'Farrell |author=Tovey, Josephine |author2=Coorey, Phillip |date=14 November 2012 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=29 January 2013}}</ref>
{{quotation|If that is done outside the confessional (it can be reported to the police)... (But) the Seal of Confession is inviolable. If the priest knows beforehand about such a situation, the priest should refuse to hear the confession... That would be my advice, and I would never hear the confession of a priest who is suspected of such a thing.}}
The ABC reported that the comment "met with disapproval", citing Catholic politician [[Barry O'Farrell]], who told Parliament that confessions should not be secret.<ref name="News.com.au"/><ref name="Sales, Leigh"/><ref name="Owens, Jared"/><ref name="Tovey, Josephine"/>
====Pell's conduct====
A number of criticisms of Pell's conduct and manner towards victims and perpetrators have been aired in the Australian media and considered at the royal commission. His appearances before the royal commission were met with intense public interest in Australia. He was heckled from the public galleries, and the musician [[Tim Minchin]] called him "scum" and a "coward" in a song released on Network Ten's ''The Project''. Pell has complained of unfair treatment from the media and "relentless character assassination".<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/george-pell-to-take-leave-to-fight-charges-in-australia/8664516 George Pell granted leave by Pope to fight historical sexual assault offences]; www.abc.net.au; 30 June 2017</ref>
An SBS article by Debi Marshall included suggestions Pell had ignored accounts of physical and sexual abuse and covered up such abuse. Marshall raised the allegation that Pell had attempted to "bribe" a victim.<ref>{{cite news|last=Marshall|first=Debi|title=The girls, the paedophile and Cardinal Pell|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/feature/girls-paedophile-and-cardinal-pell|work=SBS News|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227085454/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/feature/girls-paedophile-and-cardinal-pell|publisher=[[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]]|archivedate=27 February 2016}}</ref> However, Pell was cross-examined by Counsel Assisting Gael Furness over the widely publicised claim that in 1993, he attempted to bribe David Ridsdale into silence, when David Ridsdale called him about the historical misconduct of his pedophile-priest uncle Gerald Ridsdale. In her final submission, Furness conceded that the allegation was unlikely to be an accurate interpretation of Pell's intent, as it was already known that Gerald Ridsdale was under investigation by police, and David Ridsdale was requesting a private process and not suggesting he wanted to go to police.<ref name="Case Study 28">{{cite report|last1=Furness SC|first1=Gail B|last2=Stewart SC|first2=Angus|last3=Free|first3=Stephen|title=Case Study 28 - Catholic Church Authorities in Ballarat - Submissions of Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission|date=10 June 2016|url=http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/downloadfile.ashx?guid=054dca4c-6ff0-4b39-b772-75e7296e14b3&type=transcriptpdf&filename=Submissions-of-Counsel-Assisting&fileextension=pdf|publisher=Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse|access-date=4 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815101708/http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/downloadfile.ashx?guid=054dca4c-6ff0-4b39-b772-75e7296e14b3&type=transcriptpdf&filename=Submissions-of-Counsel-Assisting&fileextension=pdf|archivedate=15 August 2017|deadurl=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
The royal commission also considered evidence of Pell's "knowledge of rumours, allegations or complaints of Dowlan's sexual abuse of children in Ballarat", also raised in Marshall's article. One witness said he'd gone to "Pell's presbytery" in Ballarat to warn him about Dowlan. Pell submitted evidence that he did not live in Ballarat or in that presbytery at the time, and the Counsel-Assisting noted in her final submission that "Cardinal Pell's evidence about his living arrangements and duties in 1973 and 1974 make it less likely that he was at St Patrick's presbytery late in the afternoon on a week day."<ref name="Case Study 28"/>
====March 2014 appearance====
In 2014, the royal commission was told how lawyers representing Pell and the Archdiocese of Sydney incurred costs of {{AUD}}1.5 million against a victim of sexual abuse. The lawyers, acting on the church's instructions, "vigorously" fought John Ellis through the courts despite warnings of his "fragile psychological state". The resulting NSW Court of Appeal ruling established the controversial "Ellis Defence", which confirmed that the church could not be sued as a legal entity and held liable for abuse committed by a priest in such matters. Eventually, Ellis received $568,000 from the church. In a statement to the royal commission in March 2014, Pell reversed his earlier stance in support of the defence, saying: "My own view is that the Church in Australia should be able to be sued in cases of this kind."<ref name="benns1"/>
In his 2014 appearance, Pell likened the Catholic Church to a trucking company: "If the truck driver picks up some lady and then molests her, I don't think it's appropriate, because it is contrary to the policy, for the ownership, the leadership of that company to be held responsible."<ref name="ABC anger">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-18/bradley-why-pell-and-the-church-are-the-target-of-so-much-anger/7178974 |title=Why Pell and the Church are the target of so much rage |work=ABC News |date=18 February 2016 |accessdate=18 February 2016}}</ref> He was widely criticised for this remark.<ref name = 2014-RC-appearance>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australian-cardinal-george-pell-offends-truckers-with-sex-abuse-analogy-9687523.html |title=Australian Cardinal George Pell offends truckers with sex abuse analogy |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=23 August 2014 |accessdate=20 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/22/truckers-outraged-by-cardinal-george-pells-sex-abuse-comparison |title=Truckers outraged by Cardinal George Pell's sex abuse comparison |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 August 2014 |accessdate=20 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="Irish">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Top-Vatican-cleric-compares-child-sex-abuse-to-a-trucker-molesting-a-woman.html |title=Top Vatican cleric compares child sex abuse to a trucker molesting a woman |work=IrishCentral |date=23 August 2014 |accessdate=20 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="Pell bribe?">{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/cardinal-george-pell-told-in-1970s-of-claims-of-abuse-royal-commission-hears/news-story/63384e51b2da00862b0309855276b914 |title=Cardinal George Pell told in 1970s of claims of abuse, royal commission hears |newspaper=[[The Herald Sun]] |date=20 May 2015 |accessdate=17 February 2016}}</ref> The president of Adults Surviving Child Abuse, Cathy Kezelman, called his comments "outrageous", saying that they denied the experience of victims. Nicky Davis, from the [[Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests]] (SNAP), said that Pell had made a "highly offensive" comparison.<ref name="Irish"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/1089/1/australian-cardinal-angers-abuse-victims |title=Australian cardinal angers abuse victims |work=The Tablet |date=22 August 2014 |accessdate=20 February 2016}}</ref> Michael Bradley, writing in his weekly column for [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]], said "Yes, it was mind-blowingly insensitive to draw that analogy and to so blithely refer to 'some lady'. But there was a much bigger hole. In the world according to Pell, if the Catholic Church has a policy that tells its priests not to rape children then, if they still do so, the Church cannot be held accountable."<ref name="ABC anger"/>
====2016 appearance====
Appearing before the royal commission in February and March 2016 by video link from a hotel in Rome unable to travel to Australia due to his heart condition,<ref name="ABC too ill">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-05/cardinal-george-pell-too-ill-to-child-sex-abuse-inquiry-lawyers/7140584 |title=Cardinal George Pell 'too ill' to travel from Rome for child sex abuse inquiry |work=ABC News |date=5 February 2016 |accessdate=17 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="ABC too ill OK">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-08/george-pell-excused-from-giving-evidence-in-person/7149012 |title=George Pell excused from giving evidence at child sexual abuse royal commission in person |work=ABC News |date=8 February 2016 |accessdate=17 February 2016}}</ref> Pell gave evidence in front of 15 victims of abuse who had travelled from Australia to Rome to witness his testimony.<ref name="ABC too ill" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Craw|first1=Victoria|title=Cardinal George Pell to face Royal Commission from Rome Hotel|url=http://www.news.com.au/world/cardinal-george-pell-to-face-royal-commission-from-rome-hotel/news-story/eedb68ac94ae0b397e10ac5089348e95|accessdate=7 July 2017|work=news.com.au|date=29 January 2016}}</ref> The hearing in Sydney was open to the media.<ref name = 2016-RC-appearance>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-29/george-pell-leaves-abuse-survivors-unconvinced/7207726 |title=At the scene: George Pell leaves abuse survivors unconvinced after first royal commission hearing |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=29 February 2016 |accessdate=29 February 2016}}</ref> Having sworn on the [[Bible]], Pell stated that he did not think the problems with abuse were with the institutional structure of the Catholic Church. "The Church has made enormous mistakes and is working to remedy those", he said. "The Church in many places, certainly in Australia, has mucked things up, has let people down. I'm not here to defend the indefensible."<ref name="mucked">{{cite web |url=http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/church-mucked-up-with-paedophile-priests-vatican-finance-chief/ar-BBq7UUn?li=BBnbfcL |title=Church 'mucked up with paedophile priests: Vatican finance chief |publisher=msn.com |date=29 February 2016 |accessdate=29 February 2016 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302235446/http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/church-mucked-up-with-paedophile-priests-vatican-finance-chief/ar-BBq7UUn?li=BBnbfcL |archivedate=2 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Counsel assisting the royal commission alleged that there were also wider problems with the church's hierarchy in Australia and Rome and beyond, which they thought he understated or sidestepped.<ref name="mucked"/> Regarding the allegations of children, he said that "the predisposition was not to believe" and that the instinct was to protect the church.<ref name="ABC day 1"/> He continued, saying, "Too many of them certainly were dismissed and sometimes they were dismissed in absolutely scandalous circumstances ... They were very, very, very plausible allegations made by responsible people that were not followed up sufficiently."<ref name="ABC day 1"/>
Pell also stated that the way Gerald Ridsdale was dealt with was "a catastrophe for the victims and a catastrophe for the church". But referring to rumours of abuse per se, "in those days", he said, "if a priest denied such activity, I was very strongly inclined to accept the denial".<ref name="ABC day 1"/>
Following Pell's inability to travel in 2016, a [[GoFundMe]] campaign entitled "Send Ballarat Survivors to Rome" was launched to enable 15 victims of abuse to travel to Rome and see him give evidence in person. It reached its target of {{AUD}}55,000 in one day, doubled that the following day and trebled it the day after.<ref name="ABC gofundme">{{cite web|title=George Pell: Abuse survivors to travel to Rome for Cardinal's testimony after crowdfunding campaign|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-16/crowdfunding-campaign-to-send-ballarat-survivors-to-rome/7174664 |work=ABC News |date=16 February 2016 |accessdate=17 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="ABC Mitchin song">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-17/priest-says-tim-minchin-song-hurting-abuse-survivors/7178606 |title=Tim Minchin's Cardinal George Pell song hurting abuse victims, Jesuit priest says |work=ABC News |date=17 February 2016 |accessdate=17 February 2016}}</ref> The musician [[Tim Minchin]] released the song "Come Home (Cardinal Pell)", with all proceeds to go to the GoFundMe campaign. The song attacked Pell as "scum" and "coward" who should go to hell. Uploaded to YouTube, within 24 hours it had over 400,000 views and reached the number one position on the iTunes song chart in Australia.<ref name="ABC Mitchin song"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtHOmforqxk |title=Come Home (Cardinal Pell) – Tim Minchin |work=YouTube |date=16 February 2016 |accessdate=17 February 2016}}</ref>
In June 2016 the Holy See Press Office director [[Federico Lombardi]] announced that Pell would continue in his role as prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, despite being obliged to submit his resignation on turning 75. Lombardi reminded reporters that Pope Francis had previously expressed his full confidence in Pell, and that Francis wished him to continue as prefect.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/cardinal-pell-turns-75-pope-to-keep-him-on-as-vatican-finance-chief/ |title=Cardinal Pell Turns 75, Pope to Keep Him on as Vatican Finance Chief |first=Edward |last=Pentin |date=8 June 2016 |publisher=[[EWTN News, Inc.]] |newspaper=[[National Catholic Register]] |accessdate=11 June 2016}}</ref>
====Gerald Ridsdale====
Pell served as an assistant priest at St Alipius' Church in Ballarat East and, in 1973, shared a house with [[Gerald Ridsdale]], a priest who was later defrocked and jailed for child sex crimes.<ref name="Pell bribe?"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/catholic-churchs-worst-paedophile-gerald-ridsdale-was-unleashed-on-sydneys-southern-beaches-20150525-gh8yfp.html |title=Catholic Church's worst paedophile Gerald Ridsdale was unleashed on Sydney's southern beaches |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=27 May 2015 |author=Callinan, Roy |accessdate=1 March 2016}}</ref> Ridsdale was convicted between 1993 and 2017 of a very large number of [[child sexual abuse]] and [[indecent assault]] charges against children aged as young as four years during the 1970s and 1980s, the total number of known victims standing at 79, but that is thought to be a small proportion of his victims.<ref name="Franklin">J. Franklin, [http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/~jim/franklinridsdale.pdf Gerald Ridsdale, pedophile priest, in his own words], ''Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society'' 36 (2105), 219-230.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-31/paedophile-priest-gerald-ridsdale-sentenced-over-new-offences/8858576|title=Paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale gets more jail time for abusing 12 kids|date=31 August 2017|work=ABC News|access-date=2017-12-31|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name="abc-guilty-plea">{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/08/07/1708350.htm |title=Former priest pleads guilty to child abuse |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=7 August 2006 |accessdate=25 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-18/victim-of-paedophile-priest-felt-dirty2c-scared-and-confused2/5328526 |title=Victims of paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale felt dirty, scared and confused, court told |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=18 March 2014 |accessdate=21 May 2015 |author=}}</ref> Pell was part of a leadership group of Catholic priests in the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ballarat|Diocese of Ballarat]] that met during 1982 and discussed moving Ridsdale from the parish at {{VICcity|Mortlake}} and sending him to Sydney.<ref>{{cite news |author=Akerman, Tessa |date=20 May 2015 |title=Priest Gerald Ridsdale's abuse 'no secret' in parish |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/priest-gerald-ridsdales-abuse-no-secret-in-parish/story-fngburq5-1227360754133 |work=[[The Australian]] |accessdate=22 May 2015}}</ref> Pell denied knowing about any of Ridsdale's actions.<ref>{{cite news |author=Devic, Aleks |date=29 November 2013 |title=Predator priest Gerald Ridsdale found victims wherever the Catholic Church moved him across Australia |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/predator-priest-gerald-ridsdale-found-victims-wherever-the-catholic-church-moved-him-across-australia/story-fni0ffnk-1226771780738 |work=[[Herald Sun]] |accessdate=22 May 2015}}</ref> Journalist and former priest [[Paul Bongiorno]], who also lived in a presbytery with Ridsdale told ABC radio that Ridsdale concealed his activities: "They hide it. It was certainly hidden from me. And when it came out, after I’d left the priesthood, I was shocked and I was ashamed."<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/why-is-bongiorno-not-vilified-as-was-pell-why-is-pell-the-scapegoat/news-story/ff7be707798509e9973b0248bcbfc657 Why is Bongiorno not vilified as was Pell? Why is Pell the scapegoat?]; Herald Sun; 27 May 2016</ref>
In March 2016, when asked by the Royal Commission why he had agreed to walk Ridsdale into the courthouse in Melbourne during his 1993 criminal trial, Pell responded, "I had some status as an auxiliary bishop and I was asked to appear with the ambition that this would lessen the term of punishment, lessen his time in jail." Peter Saunders, the victims' advocate and a former Catholic priest, said that this Pell response "... demonstrates once again the callousness, the coldheartedness and the contempt that George Pell appears to display for this whole issue and particularly for the victims of these dreadful crimes."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/29/sex-abuse-scandal-has-followed-cardinal-george-pell-for-decades/|title=Sex abuse scandal has followed Cardinal George Pell for decades|author=Hawkins, Derek|date=29 June 2017|publisher= The Washington Post}}</ref>
In 2002 on ''[[60 Minutes (Australian TV program)|60 Minutes]]'', Pell was accused by David Ridsdale, a victim of child sex abuse in {{VICcity|Ballarat}} and the nephew of Gerald Ridsdale, of attempting to bribe him in 1993 in order to prevent the abuse being made public.<ref name="Case Study 28"/> Minchin's anti-Pell song "Come Home (Cardinal Pell)" repeated the implication.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/minchin/7175224|title=Tim Minchin calls for George Pell to 'come home' in charity single|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|location=Australia|date=17 February 2016|access-date=}}</ref> The allegation was examined at the royal commission and received further wide publicity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/royal-commission-told-cardinal-george-pell-bribed-victim-to-stay-silent-about-abuse-20150520-gh5r7t.html|title=Royal commission told Cardinal George Pell tried to buy victim's silence about abuse|work=[[The Age]]|date=21 May 2015|accessdate=22 May 2015|last=Lee|first=Jane}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Donovan|first=Samantha|date=20 May 2015|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-20/royal-commission-hears-cardinal-pell-offered/6485170|title=Royal Commission hears Cardinal Pell offered victim bribe to keep clerical sex abuse quiet|work=[[PM (Australian radio program)|PM]]|publisher=[[ABC Local Radio]]|accessdate=18 May 2017}}</ref> However, Counsel-Assisting [[Gael Furness]] conceded in her final submission to the royal commission that, given it was already known to Pell that Gerald Ridsdale was subject to police investigation, and David Ridsdale had requested a "private" rather than police process "it is not likely that Bishop Pell would then have thought it necessary to offer Mr Ridsdale an inducement to prevent him from going to the police or public with his allegations", and Ridsdale could have "misinterpreted Bishop Pell's offer of assistance".<ref name="Case Study 28"/>
==Accusations and charges regarding sexual abuse==
===2002 allegation ===
In June 2002, Pell was accused by a Melbourne man of having sexually abused a 12-year-old boy at a Catholic youth camp in 1961, whilst he was a young [[Seminary|seminarian]]. Pell denied the accusations and stood aside while the inquiry continued.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s656348.htm |title=Catholic church reeling from sex abuse claims |first=Michele |last=Fonseca |work=PM (ABC Radio) |location=Australia |format=transcript |date=22 August 2002 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref> The complainant agreed to pursue his allegations through the church's own process for dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct, the National Committee for Professional Standards. Retired Victorian Supreme Court Justice [[Alec Southwell]], appointed Commissioner by the church to [[Southwell inquiry|investigate the matter]], found that the complainant, despite his long criminal record, had mostly given the impression of "speaking honestly from actual recollection" but concluded as follows: "bearing in mind the forensic difficulties of the defence occasioned by the very long delay, some valid criticism of the complainant's credibility, the lack of corroborative evidence and the sworn denial of the respondent, I find I am not 'satisfied that the complaint has been established'".<ref name="Southwellreport">{{cite report|last=Southwell|first=A. J.|title=Report of an Inquiry into an allegation of sexual abuse against Archbishop George Pell|url=http://www.catholic.org.au/statements/pell_judgement.htm|publisher=National Committee for Professional Standards (Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference)|archiveurl=http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/31212/20021021-0000/www.catholic.org.au/statements/pell_judgement.htm|archivedate=21 October 2002|date=14 October 2002}}</ref><ref name="Southwellreport" /><ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/14/1034561100662.html Exonerated, not forgotten]; smh.com.au; 15 Oct 2015</ref> Pell said he had been exonerated, while the complainant's solicitor said his client had been vindicated.<ref name="Burke">{{cite news |first=Kelly |last=Burke |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/14/1034561100662.html |title=Exonerated, not forgotten |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 October 2002 |accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>
===Victoria Police investigations===
In March 2013, Victoria Police launched "Operation Tethering", to investigate whether Pell had committed unreported crimes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Police had started George Pell taskforce 'before any crime was reported'|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-28/george-pell-committal-detectives-single-mindedly-pursued-charge/9597312|accessdate=29 March 2018|work=ABC News|date=28 March 2018|language=en-AU}}</ref> On 20 February 2016, the [[Herald Sun]] newspaper reported that Pell had been under investigation for the past year by detectives from the [[Victoria Police]] SANO Taskforce over sexual abuse allegations involving between five and ten boys that occurred between 1978 and 2001 when he was a priest in Ballarat and when archbishop of Melbourne.<ref name="HeraldSunFeb16">{{cite news|last1=Morris-Marr|first1=Lucie|title=Victoria Police investigating Cardinal Pell|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria-police-investigating-cardinal-pell/news-story/09609ca949fdb490842fd72d73faf779|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=Herald Sun|date=20 February 2016}}</ref> His office issued a public statement denying the allegations calling them "utterly false" and asked for an inquiry into the leaking of information by Victoria Police officers to the media.<ref name="HeraldSunFeb16" /> Victoria Police remained silent on whether Pell was being investigated.<ref name="HeraldSunFeb16" /> The SANO Taskforce was established in 2012 to investigate allegations arising from the Victorian Government Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Organisations and the subsequent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.<ref name="HeraldSunFeb16" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wells|first1=Rachel|title=Police launch sex abuse taskforce|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-launch-sex-abuse-taskforce-20121130-2amu1.html|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=The Age|date=30 November 2012}}</ref>
On 28 July 2016, the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, [[Graham Ashton]], confirmed that there was an investigation into alleged child sexual abuse by Pell following a report by the ABC's ''[[7.30]]'' program the previous day and stated that he was awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-27/victoria-police-investigating-george-pell-over-abuse-complaints/7664674|title=George Pell subject of Victoria Police investigation into multiple allegations of sexual abuse|work=ABC News|date=27 July 2016|accessdate=27 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victorias-top-cop-says-sex-abuse-charges-against-george-pell-still-a-possibility-20160727-gqffih.html|title=Victoria's top cop says sex abuse charges against George Pell still a possibility|work=[[The Age]]|date=28 July 2016|accessdate=29 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Milligan|first1=Louise|title=George Pell investigated over multiple allegations of sexual abuse|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2016/s4508646.htm|accessdate=17 August 2016|work=7.30|publisher=ABC|date=27 July 2016}}</ref> On 17 August 2016, Victoria Police confirmed a response had been received from the DPP, but would not disclose the DPP's recommendations.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carmody|first1=Broede|title=Police set to interview Cardinal George Pell|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-set-to-interview-cardinal-george-pell-20160816-gqu7qu.html|accessdate=17 August 2016|work=The Age|date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
In October 2016, three Victoria Police officers from the SANO Task Force flew to Rome to interview Pell, who voluntarily participated, regarding allegations of sexual assault.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Milligan|first1=Louise|title=George Pell voluntarily interviewed by Victoria Police in Rome over historic child abuse allegations|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-26/cardinal-george-pell-interviewed-by-victoria-police-in-rome/7966266|accessdate=26 July 2017|work=[[7.30]]|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=27 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702062050/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-26/cardinal-george-pell-interviewed-by-victoria-police-in-rome/7966266|archive-date=2 July 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In February 2017, Victoria Police advised that the brief of evidence against Pell for sexual assault allegations had been returned to the Office of Public Prosecutions for review with advice subsequently provided to Victoria Police in May 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Akerman|first1=Tessa|title=George Pell accusations sent to prosectors a second time|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/royal-commission/george-pell-accusations-sent-to-prosectors-a-second-time/news-story/4c3b977c2fe0efad6a99c8876dc33543|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=[[The Australian]]|publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]|date=7 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Police receive legal advice on Pell investigation|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/05/16/victoria-police-receive-legal-advice-pell-investigation|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=SBS News|publisher=[[Special Broadcasting Service]]|date=17 May 2017}}</ref>
===Criminal charges and conviction===
{{Infobox Criminal
| conviction = [[Child sexual abuse]]
| conviction_penalty =
| conviction_status = Pending sentencing
}}
On 29 June 2017, Victoria Police charged Pell with sexual assault offences with several counts and several victims.<ref name="ABC-Pell-charged" /> At a press conference, Pell stated that he would return to Australia and that "I'm looking forward, finally, to having my day in court" and "I'm innocent of those charges. They are false".<ref name="ABC29-2">{{cite news|last1=Lord|first1=Kathy|title=George Pell granted leave by Pope to fight historical sexual assault offences|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/george-pell-to-take-leave-to-fight-charges-in-australia/8664516|accessdate=29 June 2017|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=29 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="ABC29-3Pope">{{cite news|title=George Pell: Cardinal addresses media after being charged with sexual assault offences|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/george-pell-media-conference/8663432|accessdate=30 June 2017|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=29 June 2017}}</ref> On 26 July 2017, whilst not required to attend in person, he appeared at the [[Melbourne Magistrates' Court]] for a filing hearing represented by [[barrister]] [[Robert Richter (lawyer)|Robert Richter]] and, although not required at this stage of the court [[Committal procedure|committal]] process, he entered a [[plea]] of not guilty.<ref name="ABC27Jul">{{cite news|last1=Younger|first1=Emma|title=George Pell faces Melbourne Magistrates' Court on historical sexual offence charges|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-26/pell-faces-melbourne-court-over-sexual-offence-charges/8741502|accessdate=26 July 2017|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=26 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=George Pell to attend court hearing on historical sexual assault charges|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-24/george-pell-to-appear-at-court-hearing/8738732|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|accessdate=26 July 2017|date=24 July 2017}}</ref> An application by the media seeking the public disclosure of the details of the charges was refused by the [[magistrate]].<ref name="ABC27Jul" />
At a procedural hearing on 22 November 2017, Pell's lawyers requested documents from [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] journalist [[Louise Milligan]] and [[Melbourne University Press]] relating to a book named ''Cardinal: the Rise and Fall of George Pell'' which was published in early 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-23/george-pell-legal-team-requests-documents-from-abc-journalist/9183594 |title=Cardinal George Pell's legal team requests documents from ABC journalist Louise Milligan, book publisher |first=Karen |last=Percy |date=23 November 2017 |accessdate=9 January 2018}}</ref>
In January 2018, a man who had accused Pell of sexual abuse died after a long illness. Former chief Victorian magistrate Nicholas Papas said that the man's death would affect the structure of Pell's court case, and stated that in a case of historical sexual abuse it can "seriously affect the case" due to a lack of witnesses.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davey|first1=Melissa|title=George Pell accuser dies before cardinal faces child sexual abuse trial|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/08/george-pell-accuser-dies-before-cardinal-faces-child-sexual-abuse-trial|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=The Guardian|date=8 January 2018}}</ref> That charge was withdrawn on the Friday before the committal hearing was due to begin.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/03/02/pell-charge-withdrawn/ |title=Prosecutors withdraw one charge against Cardinal George Pell |newspaper=The New Daily |date=2 March 2018 |accessdate=2 March 2018}}</ref> Pell's lawyers requested and were denied the personal medical information of the complainants.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Australian Associated Press|title=Cardinal George Pell's lawyers denied access to more accusers' medical records|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/feb/21/cardinal-george-pells-lawyers-denied-access-to-more-accusers-medical-records|accessdate=21 February 2018|work=the Guardian|date=21 February 2018|language=en}}</ref> Pell's defence was reported to be based on questioning the timing of allegations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cardinal Pell's lawyers to try to prove accusations are a 'recent invention'|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-27/cardinal-pells-lawyers-lawyers-will-question-his-accusers/9489642|accessdate=27 February 2018|work=ABC News|date=27 February 2018|language=en-AU}}</ref> Some other charges were dropped after a complainant was ruled medically unfit to give evidence.<ref>{{cite news|title=A number of charges against George Pell to be dropped|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-23/george-pell-committal-a-number-of-charges-to-be-dropped/9581972|accessdate=29 March 2018|work=ABC News|date=23 March 2018|language=en-AU}}</ref>
The [[committal hearing]] to determine whether there was enough evidence to commit him to stand trial commenced on 5 March 2018.<ref name="ABCOct17">{{cite news |last1=Younger |first1=Emma |title=Cardinal George Pell appears at Melbourne Magistrates' Court to fight historical sexual offence allegations|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-06/george-pell-at-court-historical-sexual-offence-allegations/9021596|accessdate=7 October 2017|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref><ref name="SBSOct17">{{cite news|title=Four-week court hearing for Cardinal Pell|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/10/07/four-week-court-hearing-cardinal-pell|accessdate=7 October 2017|work=[[Special Broadcasting Service]]|agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]]|date=7 October 2017}}</ref> The committal hearing allowed for approximately fifty witnesses to give evidence, including former choirboys.<ref name="HeraldSunOct17">{{cite news|last1=Deery|first1=Shannon|title=Cardinal George Pell expected to return to Melbourne court over historic sexual offence charges|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/cardinal-george-pell-expected-to-return-to-melbourne-court-over-historic-sexual-offence-charges/news-story/7b23c7bcd6f577e621a23cad09f43e94|accessdate=7 October 2017|work=[[Herald Sun]]|publisher=[[News.com.au]]|date=6 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="ABCOct17" /> The magistrate allowed Pell's barrister to cross-examine all but five witnesses.<ref name="ABCOct17" /> As a result, the hearing was scheduled to allow for four weeks of testimony and cross-examination.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/pressure-drops-as-empty-seats-greet-cardinal-george-pells-latest-day-in-court-20171006-gyvjqg.html|title=Pressure drops as empty seats greet Cardinal George Pell's latest day in court|last=Wright|first=Tony|date=6 October 2017|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2017-10-08|language=en-US}}</ref> Pell's barrister said the matter would go to trial and that some of the allegations, those involving St Patrick's Cathedral, were impossible.<ref name="HeraldSunOct17" /><ref name="SBSOct17" /><ref name="AustOct17">{{cite news|last1=Akerman|first1=Tessa|title=50 witnesses to be called in Cardinal George Pell hearing|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/50-witnesses-to-be-called-in-cardinal-george-pell-hearing/news-story/582aa8f0ff2a7fb9048aa411dbf04ab1|accessdate=7 October 2017|work=[[The Australian]]|date=7 October 2017}}</ref>
On 1 May 2018, Pell was committed to stand trial on several historical sexual offence charges. [[Police magistrate|Magistrate]] Belinda Wallington concluded that there was enough evidence for the case to proceed on about half of the charges. Allegations that Pell committed sexual assault in a Ballarat cinema during the screening of a film was among the charges dismissed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-43957330 |date=1 May 2018 |accessdate=3 May 2018 |title=Cardinal Pell ordered to stand trial on sexual assault charges |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Pell entered pleas of not guilty to the remaining charges.<ref name=committaldecision/><ref name=guardian101>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2018/may/01/cardinal-george-pell-committal-trial-historical-sexual-offence-charges-live |title=Cardinal George Pell will stand trial over historical sexual offence charges – live |work=[[Guardian Australia]]|date=1 May 2018|access-date=|author=|agency=}}</ref> As a bail condition, Pell surrendered his Vatican passport and is not permitted to leave Australia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-02/cardinal-george-pell-directions-hearing/9717184|title=Cardinal George Pell faces directions hearing after being committed to stand trial|work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|location=Australia|author=Younger, Emma|date=1 May 2018|accessdate=2 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/treated-like-any-other-accused-george-pell-s-life-of-extremes-20180501-p4zcnt.html|title=Treated like any other accused: George Pell's life of extremes|author=Cowie, Tom|work=[[The Age]]|date=1 May 2018|access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref>
On 2 May 2018, Pell appeared in the [[County Court of Victoria]] for a directions hearing before Judge [[Sue Pullen]] and it was agreed that he would undergo two separate trials with two separate juries and that the charges would be heard separately for each trial. The two trials are for allegations in a Ballarat swimming pool in the 1970s for the first trial and the second allegations from [[St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne|St Patrick's Cathedral]] in Melbourne in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/george-pell-set-to-face-two-trials-over-historical-assault-allegations-20180502-p4zct9.html|title=George Pell set to face two trials over historical assault allegations|author=Cooper, Adam|date=2 May 2018|accessdate=3 May 2018}}</ref> ''[[The Catholic Weekly]]'', a publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, is running advertising seeking donations for Pell's legal fund and has written an article promoting the appeal for funding. It is unknown who is responsible for the advertising or the donation drive.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davey|first1=Melissa|title=Sydney archdiocese runs ads seeking donations for Cardinal George Pell's legal fees|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/may/09/sydney-archdiocese-runs-ads-seeking-donations-for-cardinal-george-pells-legal-fees|accessdate=8 May 2018|work=the Guardian|date=8 May 2018|language=en}}</ref> Prosecutors have sought a media ban on reporting of proceedings until the beginning of a final trial, including suppression of reporting an initial trial and no further reporting on earlier trials until completion of the final one.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Koob|first1=Simone Fox|title=Court staffer fired after alleged Pell trial security breach|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/court-staffer-fired-after-alleged-pell-trial-security-breach-20180516-p4zfj3.html|accessdate=16 May 2018|work=The Age|date=15 May 2018|language=en}}</ref>
On 11 December 2018, Pell was convicted on five counts of child sexual abuse of two boys in the 1990s, after a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Farhl |first1=Paul |title=An Australian court's gag order is no match for the Internet, as word gets out about prominent cardinal's conviction |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/an-australian-courts-gag-order-is-no-match-for-the-internet-as-word-gets-out-about-prominent-cardinals-conviction/2018/12/13/5137005c-fef5-11e8-83c0-b06139e540e5_story.html |accessdate=16 December 2018 |publisher=The Washington Post |date=13 December 2018}}</ref> He is due to be sentenced in February 2019, after which he is expected to appeal the conviction.<ref name="WPconvict"/><ref name="AMconvict"/><ref name="beastconvict"/> On the same day, the Vatican announced that Pell was one of the three oldest cardinals who had been thanked in October and were no longer part of the Pope's [[Council of Cardinal Advisers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-13/george-pell-no-longer-part-of-vatican-council-of-cardinals/10614092|title=George Pell removed from Vatican's cardinal council|date=13 December 2018|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-12-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/world/europe/pope-cardinals-pell-abuse.html|title=Pope Expels Two Cardinals Implicated in Sex Abuse From His Council|last=Horowitz|first=Jason|date=12 December 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-13|last2=Povoledo|first2=Elisabetta|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-12/council-cardinal-advisors-december-meeting-burke.html|title=Council of Cardinal Advisors wrap-up December meeting - Vatican News|date=12 December 2018|website=www.vaticannews.va|language=en|access-date=2018-12-13}}</ref>
====Gag order====
International news sources have reported that Pell's conviction is subject to a [[gag order]] issued by Judge Peter Kidd, suppressing coverage of the conviction by Australian media companies. The purpose of the order was to avoid biasing potential jurors against Pell in a future criminal trial.<ref name=postSullivan/><ref name=nprChappel/><ref name=beastCartwright/><ref name=slateOlmstead/> According to National Public Radio, the Australian companies "have largely abided" by the suppression order.<ref name=nprChappel /> The Melbourne-based ''[[Herald Sun]]'' posted on its front page "CENSORED" in large print in protest of the ban, noting that international sources were reporting on a "very important story that is relevant to Victorians".<ref name=postSullivan /> In a statement made to the ''Washington Post'', Noah Shachtman, editor in chief of the online news magazine ''[[The Daily Beast]]'', consulted with American and Australian lawyers, but ultimately considered it an "easy call" to report on the conviction, though he did place geo-blocking restrictions to prevent online access to the story from Australia.<ref name=postSullivan />
==Writings==
Pell has written widely in religious and secular magazines, learned journals and newspapers in Australia and overseas. He regularly speaks on television and radio. His other publications include ''The Sisters of St Joseph in Swan Hill 1922–72'' (1972), ''Catholicism in Australia'' (1988), ''Rerum Novarum – One Hundred Years Later'' (1992), ''Catholicism and the Architecture of Freedom''.
* {{cite book |url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/20295189?q&versionId=23968030 |author=Pell, George |title=Bread, stones or fairy floss: religious education today | publisher=Australian Catholic Truth Society Publications |location=Melbourne | year=1977 |type= pamphlet |isbn=}}
* {{cite book |author=Pell, George |title=Are our secondary schools Catholic? | type= pamphlet | publisher=Australian Catholic Truth Society Publications |location=Melbourne |year=1979 |isbn=}}
* {{cite thesis |author=Pell, George |title=An evaluation of the goal of moral autonomy in the theory and practice of Lawrence Kohlberg | publisher=Monash University |location=Clayton, Melbourne | year=1982 |type=microfiche}}
* {{cite book |author=Pell, George |author2=Woods, Mary Helen |title=Issues of Faith and Morals |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Melbourne | year=1996 |type=paperback |isbn=0-19-553978-8}} For senior secondary classes and parish groups.
* {{cite book |author=Pell, George|series= The Inaugural [[Acton Lecture on Religion and Freedom]]|title= Catholicism and the architecture of freedom | publisher= [[Centre for Independent Studies]] (Australia) |url=https://www.cis.org.au/events/catholicism-and-the-architecture-of-freedom-archbishop-george-pell |page=14 |location=St Leonards, Sydney | year=1999 |format=oration |isbn=1-86432-044-3}}
* {{cite book |author=Pell, George |editor=Livingstone, Tess |title=Be not afraid : collected writing |location=Sydney |publisher=Duffy & Snellgrove |year=2004 |type=paperback |isbn=1-876631-97-X}} A collection of homilies and reflections.
* {{cite book |author=Pell, George |editor=Casey, M. A. |title=God and Caesar: Selected Essays on Religion, Politics, and Society | publisher=Connor Court |location=Ballan, Victoria | year=2007 |type=paperback |isbn=978-0-8132-1503-7}}
* {{cite book |author=Pell, George |editor=Livingstone, Tess |title=Test Everything: Hold Fast to What Is Good | publisher=Connor Court |type= paperback|location=Ballan, Victoria | year=2010 |isbn=978-1-9214-2137-2}}
==Distinctions==
=== Orders ===
* {{flag|Holy See}}: [[File:OESSG Cavaliere di Gran Croce BAR.jpg|60px]] [[Grand Prior]] of the [[New South Wales]] Lieutenancy of the [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] (2001),<ref name="newest">{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s956918.htm |title=Meet George Pell, Australia's Newest Cardinal |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=October 2003 |accessdate=4 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404052916/http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s956918.htm |archive-date=4 April 2018 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Grand Prior of the Australian Lieutenancy – Southern of the [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre]] (1998–2001)
* {{flag|Australia}}: [[File:OrderAustraliaRibbon.png|60px]] [[Companion of the Order of Australia]] (2005) for service to the [[Catholic Church in Australia]] and internationally, to raising debate on matters of an ethical and spiritual nature, to education and social justice<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1135850&search_type=quick&showInd=true |title=PELL, Eminence Cardinal George: Companion of the Order of Australia |work=It's an Honour |publisher=[[Australian Government]] |date=13 June 2005 |accessdate=24 May 2015}}</ref>
===Awards===
* {{flag|Australia}}: [[File:Centenary Medal (Australia) ribbon.png|60px]] [[Centenary Medal]] (2001) for service to Australian society through the Catholic Church<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1135850&search_type=quick&showInd=true |title=Pell, George: Centenary Medal |work=It's an Honour |publisher=[[Australian Government]] |date=1 January 2001 |accessdate=24 May 2015}}</ref>
===Other===
* [[File:Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem - Grand Cross.png|60px]] Ecclesiastical [[Grand Cross]] and Ecclestical Grand Cross of Merit of the ''Malta-Paris obedience'' of the [[Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)]] (2003) for longstanding commitment to [[ecumenism]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.st-lazarus.org.au/pdf/CARDINAL%20GEORGE%20PELL%20bio.pdf |title=Cardinal George Pell, EGCLJ GCMLJ |work= |publisher=Grand Priory of Australia, a Jurisdiction of the Military and Hospitaller [[Order of Saint Lazarus]] of Jerusalem |date= |accessdate=24 May 2015}}</ref> National [[Chaplain]] (2001)
==See also==
{{stack|{{portal|Australia|Catholicism}}}}
* [[St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney]]
==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==Further reading==
{{refbegin|indent=yes}}
: {{cite journal
|last=Marr
|first=David
|author-link=David Marr (journalist)
|year=2013
|title=The Prince: Faith, Abuse and George Pell
|periodical=Quarterly Essay
|volume=51
|location=Carlton, Victoria
|publisher=Black Inc. Books
|isbn=978-1-86395-616-1
}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{cite web| accessdate = 26 November 2017| title= Pell Card. George |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_pell_g.html | dead-url=no | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904063515/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_pell_g.html }}
* {{cite web |url= https://www.sydneycatholic.org/past-bishops/#archbishops |title= Cardinal George Pell |work= Biography |publisher= Archdiocese of Sydney }}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Marion Francis Forst]]}}
{{s-tul|title=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Scala|Bishop of Scala]]|years=1987–1996}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Frank Little (bishop)|Frank Little]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne|Archbishop of Melbourne]]|years=1996–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Denis Hart]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Edward Clancy (cardinal)|Edward Clancy]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Catholic Bishops and Archbishops of Sydney|Archbishop of Sydney]]|years=2001–2014}}
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{{s-new|dicastery}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Secretariat for the Economy|Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy]]|years=2014–present}}
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{{Cardinals of the Catholic Church}}
{{RCArchbishopsofSydney}}
{{Roman Catholic Archbishops of Melbourne}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|New South Wales|Victoria}}
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[[Category:Monash University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Ballarat]]
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