George Pell’s Vatican tenure over as Catholic families called to keep the faith

The Vatican has avoided the task of having to formally sack George Pell from its powerful finances ministry with the Australian clergyman’s contract having expired two days ago.

The Vatican has avoided the ignominious task of having to formally sack George Pell from its powerful finances ministry with the Australian clergyman’s contract having expired two days ago.

His coincidental professional end came as the Catholic Church across the world reeled from revelations of Pell’s court case including an extraordinary appeal for Australian Catholic families to not lose faith and Melbourne’s Archbishop Peter Comensoli admitting he was “surprised and shaken”.

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Cardinal George Pell s with Pope Francis in March 2013.

Pell’s five-year-term as Prefect of the Secretariat of the Economy — that made him the third most powerful man in the Vatican and therefore the highest Catholic to ever come unstuck for child sex abuse — officially expired over the weekend, removing the potentially difficult decision for Pope Francis on whether to sack or stand him down before or after the outcome of the cardinal’s court appeal.

He had already been on extended leave, ostensibly for medical reasons, but remained technically one of the Vatican’s top men but only until midnight February 24 when that contract finished. He had already been privately advised it was not to be renewed.

Cardinal George Pell leaves the County Court of Victoria.

The Vatican has previously confirmed it had been keeping the Pope and other senior figures in the Roman Curia, the administrative unit of the Holy See, abreast of the latest fortunes of Pell following the emergence of accusations almost two years ago.

In August last year Pope Francis had already quietly moved to remove the 77-year-old Pell from his inner sanctum Council of Cardinal Advisors after the completion of his five-year-term in that role. He made the removal public through the Holy See’s press office just one day after Pell was found guilty of the sex offences on December 12 last year.

It was this council, also known as the C9, since it has nine cardinals on it, that encouraged the Pope to have this last week’s unprecedented Vatican summit on child sex abuse.

Brisbane’s Catholic Archbishop Mark Coleridge was selected to give the summit’s Sunday mass sermon in Rome at the completion of the four-day summit where he called for greater church “transparency and accountability” in abuse cases as he declared the church was its “own worst enemy”.

Brisbane’s Catholic Archbishop Mark Coleridge says the Pell revelations have shocked many.

On Tuesday it was confirmed he too was now being investigated by his former archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn over his 2006 handling of child sex abuse complaints. He “strongly refutes” the allegations.

But Archbishop Coleridge, who is also president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the Pell revelations had shocked many.

“The news of Cardinal George Pell’s conviction on historical child sexual abuse charges has shocked many across Australia and around the world, including the Catholic Bishops of Australia,” he said in a statement.

On the Pell revelations, Archbishop Comensoli said he was “surprised and shaken”.

“While acknowledging the judgment of the jury, I join many people who have been surprised and shaken by the outcome,” he said.

Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli. Picture: Aaron Francis

“I fully respect the ongoing judicial process, noting that Cardinal Pell continues to protest his innocence. An appeal against the verdict has been lodged. It is important that we now await the outcome of this appeal, respectful of the ongoing legal proceedings.”

He added his thoughts and prayers were with all victims who had been abused by clergy, religious and lay people in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

“I also acknowledge all in the Catholic Church who are walking with survivors and communities harmed by the scourge of abuse, and who are committed to building a culture of safety for our children and vulnerable people,” he said.

A letter from Sydney Catholic Schools to parents yesterday also appealed, in the face of Pell convictions, to be sustained by the faith against a range of emotions before the Pell appeal.

“I encourage each of you to be sustained by our faith in our mission of being the face of Christ to the children and families we encounter and to not lose faith in the wonderful, positive things that we do in His name,” Sydney Catholic Schools executive director Dr Daniel White said in a letter mailout.

“I renew my commitment to ensuring the safety of every child in our schools and to continue building a child-safe culture now and for the future. Finally we should never forget that in any matter of this nature our concern and prayers are with victims and their families.”

The European press, and Italian media in particular, were yesterday extensively reporting Pell’s downfall but the Holy See had yet to issue any formal statement.