The Australian court has been told some of the alleged historical sexual offence charges against Cardinal George Pell will be dropped. Prosecutor Mark Gibson told the court last Friday one of Pell’s accusers is medically unfit to give evidence, so the charges cannot proceed. No other details were given. Another charge against Pell was dropped Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Cardinal Pell’
Cardinal Pell may face new charges
Thursday, March 22nd, 2018Cardinal George Pell could face new criminal charges. His committal hearing in Melbourne was told on Tuesday that a witness had unexpectedly provided a new statement to police on Monday evening. Read more
One Pell sexual offence charge withdrawn
Monday, March 5th, 2018
A sexual offence charge against Australian Cardinal George Pell has been withdrawn because his accuser died. Mark Gibson SC, crown prosecutor, told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday the charge following the death of key witness Damian Dignan was being withdrawn. However, Pell still faces numerous other sexual offence charges. He is denying all of Read more
Key witness in Pell case unreliable: Court may withdraw charge
Monday, February 19th, 2018
Evidence from a key witness in the sexual abuse trial against Cardinal George Pell may be withdrawn and the charge against him dropped. The director of prosecutions told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that, although no decision has been made yet, the charge by the late Damian Dignan was “likely to be withdrawn”. Ruth Shann, a Read more
Australian Catholic Church – actual as against stated wealth
Monday, February 12th, 2018
The Australian Catholic Church wealth has been investigated by media. The amount the investigation turned up is significantly greater than the Church admits. The Age – a daily newspaper that has been published in Melbourne since 1854 – undertook the six-month investigation. It found the Church is far wealthier than it asserted to the Royal Commission Read more
Australian bishops return from Rome crisis talks
Thursday, October 19th, 2017
The Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, who is Vice President of the Australian Bishops’ Conference, says Australia is facing the biggest crisis in its history. Coleridge has just returned from Rome where he and other bishops have been discussing how to address the fallout resulting from Australia’s clerical sexual abuse crisis. Of particular importance in Read more
Not just George Pell is on trial
Thursday, October 12th, 2017
Here is the lead role in the tragedy – Cardinal George Pell – having to endure the humiliation of facing charges for alleged sexual abuse. The October 6th “mention” at the Melbourne Magistrates Court did not specify charges but reported that there would be up to 50 witnesses testifying in court proceedings. The “mention” occurs Read more
Australian bishops in Rome to restore faith
Monday, October 9th, 2017
Australian bishops have been meeting top Vatican officials, including the Vatican secretary of state and the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, to discuss the situation of the Catholic Church in Australia. The Australian delegation – which included Denis Hart, Archbishop of Melbourne, Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane and Justice Neville Owen Read more
Vatican auditor-general: did he jump or was he pushed?
Thursday, September 28th, 2017
The first independent Vatican auditor-general and the Vatican are telling different stories about why he resigned in June. Libero Milone says he was accused of spying after opponents of Pope Francis’ financial reforms mounted a campaign against him. The Vatican press office says Milone was “going outside his competencies and illegally hired an external company Read more
Vatican recalls child pornography diplomat from Washington
Monday, September 18th, 2017
The Vatican is investigating a Holy See diplomat accused of accessing child pornography while stationed in Washington DC. Last month the United States government notified the Holy See of “a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images” by a priest working as a diplomat in Washington. Despite the US State Department asking the Read more