the cardinal George Pell the highest Catholic official to be publicly accused of child sex crimes before the conviction was overturned in 2020, has died aged 81, according to his secretary.
Father Joseph Hamilton confirmed Pell’s death on Tuesday night after he was admitted to a Rome hospital for hip replacement surgery.
Hamilton said that although the operation was successful, Pell later suffered cardiac arrest.
Born in the regional town of Ballarat, Australia, on June 8, 1941, Pell rose through the ranks of the Roman Catholic Church to become the Vatican’s treasurer, considered by many to be the third most important position within the church.
He served in that capacity from 2014 to 2019, in charge of Pope Francis’ financial reforms, which were cut short when he was recalled to Australia to face allegations of sexual abuse.
Pell was convicted of these charges in 2018 and served 13 months in prison before the Supreme Court of Australia overturned his conviction in April 2020.
Pell vehemently denied the allegations in a police interview in 2016, calling them a “product of fantasy”.
In the two-page summary of the ruling, the Supreme Court said the jury “should have had doubts as to the applicant’s guilt” and ordered the convictions to be overturned.
In a statement, the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, expressed sadness at Pell’s death.
“This news came as a huge shock to all of us. Please pray for the repose of Cardinal Pell’s soul, for comfort and consolation for his family and for all those who loved him and are suffering at this time,” he said in a Facebook post.
When asked about Pell’s death on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended his condolences to Fisher on behalf of the government.
“For many people, especially of the Catholic faith, this will be a difficult day and I express my condolences to all those who are grieving,” he said.
Pell is a controversial figure in Australia and many on Twitter used the occasion of his death to express their support for survivors of child sexual abuse.
Source: CNN Brasil

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