Australian Cardinal George Pell has died due to complications after a scheduled hip operation.
The Cardinal was 81 years old and had served in Rome under Pope Francis, who put him in charge of the Secretariat for the Economy to bring order and transparency to Vatican finances.
His last years were difficult. In 2019, he was convicted of sexual abuse of minors and spent 404 days in prison until the High Court of Australia exonerated him in 2020.
Since then Cardinal Pell lived in the Vatican, where Pope Francis welcomed him and publicly defended him. Recently, after the January 1 Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, he thanked the Pope.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
I was very grateful for his support. He's always supported me personally during my considerable difficulties and I was very pleased to hear him twice acknowledge my contribution on the financial front. I'm very grateful.
He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in one of his last consistories in 2003. Cardinal Pell had also served on the Council of Cardinals from 2013 to 2018, studying a reform project and helping Pope Francis in governing the Church.
JRB
TR: KG
