Pell: I am innocent
Cardinal returning home to clear his name of sex offences
CARDINAL George Pell vehemently declared his innocence and vowed to fight to clear his name after being charged with historical sex offences.
The 76-year-old cardinal yesterday became the most senior Catholic charged with sex offences.
Victoria Police announced the cardinal was facing multiple charges relating to multiple victims, and must return to front court in Melbourne on July 26.
Addressing the world’s media from the Vatican, the cardinal said: “I am innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me.”
Pope Francis had granted him a leave of absence as head of the Vatican’s finances to fight the charges, he said. And he vowed to return to Rome after clearing his name.
The Pope praised Cardinal Pell’s “honesty” and “energetic dedication” in his three years in the Roman Curia. But the cardinal’s public duties would cease immediately.
The cardinal missed yesterday’s St Peter and Paul feast mass.
Police did not release any detail of the charges, but the timing of some of the allegations coincides with the cardinal’s time at Ballarat’s St Alipius parish, where he lived with notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale.
Cardinal Pell said: “These matters have been under investigation now for nearly two years. There have been leaks to the media, relentless character assassination and, for more than a month, claims that a decision on laying charges is imminent. I am looking forward finally to having my day in court.”
He added that he had spoken to his lawyers about when he needed to return to Melbourne and consulted doctors about the long-haul journey.
Last year he was declared too ill to travel from Rome to Melbourne to personally attend the child abuse Royal Commission.
But the Cardinal said he was now desperate to prove his innocence.
“I have kept Pope Francis informed throughout this lengthy process, and have spoken to him in recent days about the need to take leave to clear my name,” he said.
“News of these charges strengthens my resolve, and court proceedings now offer me an opportunity to clear my name and then return to my work in Rome.”