Cardinal who is the Vatican's third most powerful figure touches down in Singapore ahead of his return to Australia to face historic sex charges, by Sam Duncan, Daily Mail (July 8, 2017)

Cardinal who is the Vatican's third most powerful figure touches down in Singapore ahead of his return to Australia to face historic sex charges

The Vatican's third most senior figure has been seen outside a Singapore ice cream shop on his way back to Australia to defend against allegations of historic sex charges.

This is the first time Cardinal George Pell, 76, has been seen since leaving Rome after being charged by Victoria Police.

Australia's most powerful Catholic is due to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 26, Nine News reported.

Cardinal Pell, who serves as the Pope's treasurer, is the highest-ranking official to be charged in the sex abuse scandal that has dogged the Catholic Church for years.

The former Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne has vehemently denied the charges, saying that he is innocent and looking forward to clearing his name.

'I'm looking forward finally for having my day in court. I'm innocent of these charges, they are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,' he said.

'All along I have been completely consistent and clear in my total rejection of these allegations.'

'These matters have been under investigation now for two years,' said Pell after news of the charges broke.

'There have been leaks to the media. There has been relentless character assassination. Relentless character assassination!'

It is unknown how long Cardinal Pell will remain in Singapore, and when he will arrive in Melbourne.

Victoria state police deputy commissioner Shane Patton confirmed the charges last month: 'Cardinal Pell is facing multiple charges in respect of historic sexual offences. There are multiple complainants relating to those charges.'

'Cardinal Pell has been treated the same as anyone else in this investigation. Advice was received and sought from the office of public prosecutions, however ultimately, the choice to charge Cardinal Pell was one that was made by Victoria Police.'

Victoria Police have not specified the charges and have refused to elaborate on them.

Cardinal Pell has hired top criminal barrister Robert Richter, QC, to help defend him in court, and was granted a leave of absence by the Pope to return to Australia.

Days after Cardinal Pell was charged, Pope Francis dropped the the head of the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases.

German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that processes and evaluates all cases of priests accused of sexual offences, but his mandate was not renewed.

Cardinal Mueller, who was appointed by former Pope Benedict, has clashed publicly with Pope Francis in the past.

He has been replaced by Monsignor Luis Ladaria Ferrer, a Spanish Jesuit and ally of Pope Francis.

CARDINAL PELL'S RISE THROUGH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

June 8, 1941 - Born in Ballarat, Victoria

December 16, 1966 - Ordained a Catholic priest

1971-1972 - Assistant priest Swan Hill parish

1973-1983 - Assistant priest Ballarat East parish

1973 - Shared St Alipius presbytery with Gerald Ridsdale (later revealed as Australia's worst pedophile priest) and Monsignor William McMahon

1973-1984 - Episcopal Vicar for Education in Diocese of Ballarat; founding member of Catholic Education Commission of Victoria

1981-1984 - Principal of Institute of Catholic Education (now merged with Australian Catholic University)

1984 - Administrator of Bungaree parish

July 16, 1987 - Ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Melbourne

1987-1996 - Parish priest Mentone, Bishop for the southern region of Melbourne

1988-1997 - Chair of Caritas Australia

May 27, 1993 - Accompanies Ridsdale to his first court appearance. Later says it was a mistake to show priestly solidarity and he did not know full extent of Ridsdale's crimes

June 16, 1996 - Appointed Archbishop of Melbourne by Pope John Paul II

August 16, 1996 - Installed as archbishop

October 1996 - Announces Melbourne Response protocol for handling sex abuse complaints in Melbourne archdiocese

March 26, 2001 - Appointed Archbishop of Sydney by Pope John Paul II

May 10, 2001 - Installed as archbishop

April 21, 2003 - Awarded Centenary Medal by Australian government

September 28, 2003 - Elevated to the Sacred College of Cardinals by John Paul II

2005 - Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia

February, 2007 - Appointed to Council of Cardinals on Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See

April, 2013 - Appointed by Pope Francis to group of eight cardinals to advise on government of the universal Church and study plan for revising Apostolic Constitution of Roman Curia

May, 2013 - Gives evidence to Victorian parliamentary inquiry into handling of abuse by religious and other organisations in Melbourne

February 25, 2014 - Appointed as Prefect for the newly-created Secretariat for the Economy, Holy See

March 2014 - Gives evidence to Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Sexual Abuse in Sydney

August 2014 - Second royal commission appearance via videolink from the Vatican, to Melbourne hearing on the Melbourne Response

February 29 - March 3, 2016 - Third royal commission appearance, via videolink from Rome hotel conference room to Sydney; hearing on church's handling of abuse allegations in Ballarat diocese and Melbourne archdiocese.

June 29, 2017 - Charged with multiple, historical sex offences, set to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on July 18.

Source: The Australian Associated Press

Cardinal Pell has been defended by former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who said that his old friend is, 'a very fine man indeed.'

He has also received widespread support from senior figures within the Catholic Church.

The Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher stated: 'The George Pell I know is a man of integrity in his dealings with others, a man of faith and high ideals, a thoroughly decent man.'

The Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart echoed these sentiments, saying that Cardinal Pell deserves a fair trial.

'The Archbishop is conscious of the Cardinal's many good works which have been acknowledged both nationally and internationally,' he said.

'It is a matter of public record that Cardinal Pell addressed the evil of sexual abuse in the Church on becoming Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996.'

However, Vatican insiders have said Cardinal Pell will not be allowed to return to the Vatican, even if he is found not guilty.

'That is the end of the road for George Pell in the Vatican, regardless of the outcome, he will be pensioned off when the court case finishes,' a Vatican insider told The Australian.

Cardinal Pell is likely to lose his high profile role as the Pope seeks to limit the damage of the charges to the Catholic Church's reputation.