Pell silent before court date

By Rob Scott And Tim Clarke
West Australian
July 9, 2017

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/pell-silent-before-court-date-ng-b88531530z

Cardinal George Pell in Singapore.

Cardinal George Pell has taken a vow of silence during a stopover in Singapore ahead of his looming court appearance on historical sex offences.

The 76-year-old was pictured early on Monday morning leaving Sydney Airport after flying in from Singapore.

Approached by a Seven News reporter in Singapore, Cardinal Pell, 76, gave a firm no comment to almost every question put to him about his scheduled Melbourne court date.

It is still unclear when Cardinal Pell might leave Singapore, or when he is due arrive in Australia, but while he is on a leave of absence from Rome he is not shirking his Christian responsibilities.

The third-ranked official in the Vatican attended a 10.30am Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in the heart of Singapore.

He is the highest-ranking Catholic official to be charged in the sex abuse scandal plaguing the Church. He is due to appear in court on July 26.

Before leaving Rome, Cardinal Pell launched a strident defence of his reputation as he vowed to return to Australia to “vigorously” fight multiple historical sexual assault charges. Victoria Police charged the 76-year-old by summons with offences against multiple complainants.

At a press conference after police announced the charges, Cardinal Pell said he was “innocent of these charges” and that there had been a “relentless character assassination”.

“I’m looking forward, finally, to having my day in court, ” he said. “The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me.”

Pope Francis has also offered his full support to Cardinal Pell, having granted him leave to travel to Australia to defend the charges.

“The Holy See expresses its respect for the Australian justice system, which will have to decide the merits of the questions raised,” the Pope said in a statement read by his media officer Greg Burke.

“At the same time, it is important to recall Cardinal Pell has openly and repeatedly condemned as immoral and intolerable, the acts of abuse against minors.”