Here is how news organisations in the United States are covering the guilty verdict handed down to Cardinal George Pell over child sex offences.
New York Times: Cardinal George Pell Sex Abuse Conviction Unsealed in Australia
Wall Street Journal: Cardinal George Pell Is Found Guilty of Sexual Assault
The Age's associate editor Tony Wright says the Pell verdict will have far-reaching implications for the Catholic Church. He writes:
"The spectacle of men of the church being found guilty of the sexual abuse of children – once almost unthinkable – has become in recent years dispiritingly commonplace.
"There is, however, nothing commonplace about the conviction of George Pell.
"It will rattle confidence in the structures of the Catholic Church, all the way to the inner sanctums of the Vatican City, as no sex abuse scandal has done before."
Chief executive of Catholic Social Services Australia Frank Brennan says he was was suprised and devastated by the Pell verdict. In a piece for Jesuit publication Eureka Street he writes:
"I was very surprised by the verdict. In fact, I was devastated. My only conclusion is that the jury must have disregarded many of the criticisms so tellingly made by Richter of the complainant's evidence and that, despite the complainant being confused about all manner of things, the jury must nevertheless have thought — as the recent royal commission discussed — that children who are sexually violated do not always remember details of time, place, dress and posture.
"Although the complainant got all sorts of facts wrong, the jury must have believed that Pell did something dreadful to him. The jurors must have judged the complainant to be honest and reliable even though many of the details he gave were improbable if not impossible."
In an interview with 3AW Mornings host Neil Mitchell, media lawyer Justin Quill explains why the Pell case had been subject to suppression orders, which were lifted today. He also provides an account of what happened in court today.
Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli has issued the following statement on the guilty verdict handed down to Cardinal George Pell:
As is now publicly known, Cardinal George Pell has been found guilty of historical sexual crimes relating to two young people at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. This follows two trials, the first of which could not reach a verdict.
While acknowledging the judgement of the jury, I join many people who have been surprised and shaken by the outcome of the second trial.
I fully respect the ongoing judicial process, noting that Cardinal Pell continues to protest his innocence. An appeal against the verdict has been lodged. It is important that we now await the outcome of this appeal, respectful of the ongoing legal proceedings.
All other charges relating to Cardinal Pell, except those subject of the appeal, have been discontinued.
My thoughts and prayers are with all victims who have been abused by clergy, religious and lay people in the Archdiocese of Melbourne at this challenging time, and I renew my personal commitment to do all I can to ensure victims of such abuse in Melbourne receive justice and healing.
At this time, I also acknowledge all in the Catholic Church who are walking with survivors and communities harmed by the scourge of abuse, and who are committed to building a culture of safety for our children and vulnerable people.
At this time, may I assure you that I keep all involved in my prayer.
Father Kevin Dillon, a parish priest at Rowville in Melbourne’s south-east, said news of the conviction against Pell would rock the church and its followers.
“I think there will be an enormous sense of devastation... particularly as the charges relate to [his] time as Archbishop of Melbourne.”
Cardinal George Pell has been found guilty and is set to be jailed for child sexual abuse in the most sensational verdict since the Catholic church became engulfed in worldwide abuse scandals.
Pell, who was Vatican treasurer, close to the Pope and the most senior Catholic figure in the world to be charged by police with child sex offences, has been found guilty of orally raping one choirboy and molesting another in Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral 22 years ago.
In a statement released following the verdict, Cardinal Pell said he maintained his innocence (see 12.34pm post).
In a separate statment the victim said he had trusted someone he should have feared (see 12.50pm post).
Here is an excerpt of the statement from a man who was found to have been sexually assaulted by George Pell in 1996 and 1997:
Like many survivors I have experienced shame, loneliness, depression and struggle. Like many survivors it has taken me years to understand the impact upon my life.
At some point we realise that we trusted someone we should have feared and we fear those genuine relationships that we should trust.
I would like to thank my family near and far for their support of me, and of each other.
I am a witness in a case brought by the state of Victoria. I have put my trust in the police and criminal justice system.
The process has been stressful and it is not over yet.
I need space and time to cope with the ongoing criminal process.
[Read the full statement here]
Melbourne University Press has confirmed that 'Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell' by ABC journalist Louise Milligan - which had been taken off the shelves in Victoria because of the court case - will now go on sale again.
Suppression orders had required the Walkley-award winning book not to be sold until the court process had finished.
In the book, Ms Milligan pieced together decades of disturbing activities and cover-ups by Pell.
“I wanted people to know what I have known about George Pell,” said Ms Milligan on Tuesday. “We have been waiting for the justice system to run its course. Nothing can undo what has been done but some justice has prevailed.”
MUP’s acting chief executive Richard Tegoni said the stories of endurance and suffering Ms Milligan had revealed in her book “now deserve to be read widely”.
Former chief executive Louise Adler, who recently left MUP after the university changed the publisher’s direction, commissioned Ms Milligan to write the book in 2016. Ms Milligan had spent more than two years reporting on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse.
Ms Adler said she was proud to have commissioned and published the book, and said Milligain was “a courageous reporter whose integrity, respect for the judicial process and meticulous research contributed to our understanding of the tragedy of institutional child abuse”.
Cardinal George Pell has just released the following statement through his lawyers to the guilty verdict:
Cardinal George Pell has always maintained his innocence and continues to do so.
An appeal has been lodged against his conviction and he will await the outcome of the appeal process.
Although originally the Cardinal faced allegations from a number of complainants, all charges except for those the subject of the appeal have now been either withdrawn, discharged or discontinued.
He will not be commenting in the meantime.