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Cardinal George Pell has strongly denied allegations he sexually abused between five and ten minors between 1978 and 2001.
News Corp Australia claimed detectives from Victoria’s taskforce Sano have compiled a dossier containing allegations that Cardinal Pell committed “multiple offences” when he was a priest in Ballarat, and also when he was Archbishop of Melbourne.
It reportedly alleged he had sexually abused minors “by both grooming and opportunity”.
Detectives have reportedly been working with the alleged victims for more than a year; it has been reported they are aged between their late 20s and early 50s.
Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia they are aware of the report, but “cannot comment on any cases in which an individual has been named”.
No evidence has been presented, no charges have been filed and Cardinal Pell has not been officially named as the target of an investigation by Victoria Police.
The detectives involved in the Sano investigation reportedly want to fly to the Vatican to interview the cardinal, but need to wait for senior figures “give them the go-ahead”.
Cardinal Pell, who is the prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy, has vehemently denied the allegations, saying they are “without foundation and utterly false”, a spokesman said.
The cardinal reportedly only found out about the allegations through the media.
“He strongly denies any wrongdoing,” the spokesman said, “If the police wish to question him he will co-operate, as he has with each and every public inquiry.
“The cardinal is certain that the police will quickly reach the conclusion that the allegations are false.”
His office said that previous “false” allegations from a church camp at Victoria’s Phillip Island, investigated by Justice AJ Southwell, have been ignored by the police for more than 15 years.
The Southwell inquiry exonerated the then-Archbishop Pell.
Cardinal Pell has called for a public inquiry to be conducted into the Victorian police, saying the allegations were leaked to damage him.
A statement from his office noted “the timing of these leaks is clearly designed to do maximum damage to the cardinal and the Catholic Church and undermines the work of the royal commission”.
Cardinal Pell is scheduled to give testimony via video-link to the royal commission on February 29, the third time he has testified before that body.
Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne has backed Cardinal Pell, saying the “allegations do not reflect the man I have known for more than 50 years”.
Sources
- Daily Mail Australia (including statement by Cardinal Pell’s office)
- Guardian Australia
- Crux Now
- The Guardian
- Daily Mail Australia
- Image: National Catholic Reporter
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- A sexual abuse survivor’s questions for Cardinal George Pell
- Pell agrees to new meeting with abuse victims
News category: World.
