VATICAN CITY
The Tablet (UK)
29 June 2017 | by Christopher Lamb
‘I’m innocent of these charges, they are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,’ Pell said this morning
Vatican Financial Chief, Pell, takes leave of absence to fight sex abuse charges
Cardinal George Pell is temporarily stepping down from his role as Vatican financial chief following the Australian police’s decision to charge him with multiple child sexual abuse offences.
In a statement delivered at the Vatican this morning, the cardinal said he would take a leave of absence in order to clear his name, after which he plans to return to his work in Rome.
Pope Francis today said he appreciated Pell’s “honesty” and was grateful for his collaboration in reforming Vatican finances.
But the latest developments represent the biggest crisis to face Francis’ papacy, throwing his plans to bring accountability and transparency to Vatican finances into uncertainty.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.