AUSTRALIA
New York Times
By JACQUELINE WILLIAMS
JULY 25, 2017
MELBOURNE, Australia — Cardinal George Pell, one of Pope Francis’ top advisers, made his first court appearance in Australia on Wednesday after becoming the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate to be formally charged with sexual offenses.
Cardinal Pell, 76, was flanked by police officers as he entered Melbourne Magistrates’ Court through a thicket of camera crews, reporters and photographers.
He said nothing during the filing hearing, which lasted about six minutes.
One of the cardinal’s lawyers, Robert Richter, told the court that his client would plead not guilty to all charges and vehemently maintained his innocence. Magistrate Duncan Reynolds set the next court proceeding for Oct. 6.
Journalists from around the world started lining up outside the court as early as 5 a.m. to get a seat at the hearing, which was purely administrative in nature and allowed the magistrate to set dates for future hearings. …
The case will test the credibility of Francis’ efforts to foster greater accountability after abuse scandals that have shaken the church around the world.
In recent decades, more than 50 Roman Catholic bishops worldwide have been accused of sexually abusing children, according to BishopAccountability.org, an advocacy group in Massachusetts that documents sexual abuse in the church. Few, however, have faced criminal charges.
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