AUSTRALIA
7 News
JENNY TABAKOFF
February 25, 2014
Cardinal George Pell has the right background for his new role as Prefect for the Economy of the Holy See, one of the Vatican’s most senior roles.
He has the intellect to manage and reform the Vatican’s administration and finances, which have been riven with scandal in recent years. And his orthodox and intellectual stance is in line with Pope Francis, to whom he will report directly.
But he’s a divisive personality and has been caught up in the child abuse scandal plaguing the church worldwide.
His last public appearance as Archbishop of Sydney is likely to be in the witness box next month at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
His appearance has been long anticipated by survivors and their families after he was criticised for his evidence to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child abuse last year in which he attempted to separate the actions of individuals from the wider church.
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