SW News:

Australian Cardinal George Pell, has passed away at 81. Cardinal Pell "died overnight from heart complications following hip surgery in Rome," according to Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli. "Cardinal Pell was a very significant and influential Church leader, both in Australia and internationally, deeply committed to Christian discipleship," he said in a Facebook post. 

"This news comes as a great shock to all of us," Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher said. The archbishop urged the faithful to "pray for the repose of the soul of Cardinal Pell, for comfort and consolation for his family and for all of those who loved him and are grieving him at this time." 

George Pell, who was ordained to the priesthood in 1966, served as the archbishop of Melbourne from 1996 to 2001. He was appointed as the archbishop of Sydney in the same year by Pope John Paul II, where he served for 14 years. 

Pell, who was made a cardinal in 2003, played an important role in successfully organizing the 2008 World Youth Day in Sydney. He was known to be a staunch defender of the Church teachings. 



The cardinal served 13 months in prison over two sexual abuse allegations, which were quashed by the High Court in Australia in April 2020.  The court said in its judgment that “there is a significant possibility that an innocent person has been convicted because the evidence did not establish guilt to the requisite standard of proof.”