Cardinal on abuse charge

THE third most powerful figure in the Catholic Church has been charged with historic sex abuse.

A defiant Cardinal George Pell, 76, vowed to ‘vigorously’ defend his name after he was summoned to appear before a court in his native Australia on July 18.

For years he has been dogged by claims that he mishandled cases of abuse by clergy as archbishop of Melbourne and later Sydney – before himself becoming the focus of a sex abuse investigation.

Victoria state police said he faces ‘multiple charges’ by ‘multiple complainants’ but did not provide specific details. Cardinal Pell, the head of the Vatican’s finances, insists he is innocent.