Commentary: Cardinal Pell’s Conviction, by Bradley Eli, M.div., Ma.th., Church Militant (December 15, 2018)

Cardinal George Pell is appealing the verdict from the Australian jury that found him guilty of actually committing sex abuse. Even if the verdict of guilty is subsequently overturned, it seems certain that Pell will no longer be able to fight financial corruption in the Vatican or the liberal agenda pushing reception of Holy Communion to those living contrary to Christ's teachings.

It's worth recalling Pell's dire warning he gave in 2014 concerning the extreme goals of liberal prelates at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family.

"Communion for the divorced and remarried," Pell said, "is only a tip of the iceberg. It's a stalking horse. They want wider changes, recognition of civil unions, recognition of homosexual unions."

Pell was also one of the cardinals who pushed back against corrupt prelates trying to rig the synod itself. His comments to media showed he advocated for greater transparency by publishing the individual summaries of the discussions from each of discussion groups at the synod.

"We wanted the Catholic people around the world to know what was actually going on," explained Pell. He also decried the first of the summaries to be put out by the synod fathers, which was called the midterm relatio.

The first relatio, said Pell, was "tendentious, skewed and didn't represent accurately the sentiments of the Synod Fathers."

He noted that this was evident from the backlash of the bishops to that statement by "three-quarters of those who spoke" after the statement was released to them for discussion.

Whether Pell is innocent or guilty, it seems certain that his character has undergone such damage that he will never be allowed again to raise his voice in defense of Holy Mother Church.