WelCom April 2019:
Following news of Cardinal George Pell’s conviction in February this year, the Vatican confirmed it is investigating the disgraced cardinal over child sexual offences committed in Australia.
- The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will handle the case, which could see Cardinal Pell defrocked.
- A Vatican analyst said it was a sign the Catholic Church was taking Pell’s conviction seriously.
- Pell was promoted by Pope Francis in 2014 but is no longer the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy.
The move could see Australia’s most senior Catholic cleric dismissed from the priesthood.
‘After the guilty verdict in the first instance concerning Cardinal Pell, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) will now handle the case following the procedure and within the time established by canonical norm, Holy See spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said.
News of Pell’s conviction in February came just two days after Pope Francis’ historic summit on child sexual abuse by priests.
Vatican News