Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News Australia

Cardinal George Pell meets with Pope Francis amid Vatican financial scandal

byMark Bowling
13 October 2020 - Updated on 25 March 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA

Papal meeting: Pope Francis talks with Australian Cardinal George Pell, former prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, during an audience at the Vatican. Photo: CNS

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Papal meeting: Pope Francis talks with Australian Cardinal George Pell, former prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, during an audience at the Vatican. Photo: CNS

POPE Francis has welcomed Cardinal George Pell during a private Vatican meeting in the Apostolic Palace – their first meeting since the Australian cardinal’s child sexual abuse convictions were overturned.

The Holy See released photos and a brief video clip of the meeting, an indication that both the Pope and Cardinal Pell wanted the warm and smiling reception to be seen widely. 

In the video, Pope Francis is heard saying “Good to see you” and “more than a year” – an apparent reference to the 13 months Cardinal Pell spent in prison in Victoria before he was cleared in April.

Cardinal Pell had long maintained his innocence and suggested, without evidence, that his prosecution was linked to his efforts to clean up the Vatican’s finances.

His arrival in Rome on September 30 came in the midst of an unfolding financial corruption scandal that has implicated half a dozen Holy See employees and one of Cardinal Pell’s Vatican opponents, Cardinal Angelo Becciu.

Cardinal Becciu was Cardinal Pell’s deputy at the powerful economy ministry. 

The pair frequently clashed over the way Cardinal Pell was introducing financial transparency measures until CardinalPell left Rome for Australia in 2017 to face child sexual abuse charges.

Pope Francis sacked Cardinal Becciu last month, suspected of embezzling Holy See money. 

Cardinal Becciu has denied any wrongdoing and has also rejected reports in the Italian media that he allegedly transferred money to Australia in an attempt to influence Cardinal Pell’s “enemies” while he was facing the sexual abuse charges.

However two prominent Italian newspapers reported that Cardinal Becciu is suspected of arranging the equivalent of $A1.14 million to be wired to recipients in Australia to ensure evidence against Cardinal Pell.

Related Stories

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

Life ‘is always sacred and inviolable’, Pope Francis says

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

After Cardinal Becciu was sacked, CardinalPell issued a statement praising Pope Francis and saying he hoped “the cleaning of the stables continues in both the Vatican and Victoria”.

The lawyer for the man who gave evidence against George Pell at trial has denied her client ever received money.

Cardinal Pell’s lawyer, Robert Richter QC, has called for an investigation “to track the money trail”.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Matt Foxon inspired to make his home parish a place for youth to meet God

Next Post

Missionary priest from Manila follows God to say Mass on dusty oval in Darwin

Mark Bowling

Mark is the joint winner of the Australian Variety Club 2000 Heart Award for his radio news reporting in East Timor, and has also won a Walkley award, Australia’s most-respected journalism award. Mark is the author of ‘Running Amok’ that chronicles his time as a foreign correspondent juggling news deadlines and the demands of being a husband and father. Mark is married with four children.

Related Posts

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting
World

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

26 May 2022
Life ‘is always sacred and inviolable’, Pope Francis says
Vatican

Life ‘is always sacred and inviolable’, Pope Francis says

23 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict
News

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022
Next Post

Missionary priest from Manila follows God to say Mass on dusty oval in Darwin

St Maximilian Kolbe parish, rich in community spirit, celebrates 40 years

Easing the ‘mental load’ during Carers Week

Popular News

  • Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Archbishop calls for prayers in “troubled times”

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 15 killed in Texas school shooting

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia
Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

by Staff writers
26 May 2022
0

ETHIOPIAN Cardinal Berhaneyesus Souraphiel says his trip to Australia gives him the chance to thank individuals and...

Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

26 May 2022
Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

26 May 2022
Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

Nuncio take in the sights of Queensland’s far north

25 May 2022
Hong Kong

Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

25 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping