[Music]
from cardinal to criminal George Pell
has fallen far he was born in Ballarat
to a publican father and a strict Irish
Catholic mother in 1941 his towering
physique made an impression at school
where he was a debater and a footballer
Catholic historian and former priest
Paul Collins umpired some of his games
he always had leadership ability it was
a strong personality and he was a very
rough footballer very tough very strong
and let nobody get in his way
George Pell gave up football for
seminary life and study in Rome before
being ordained as a priest in 1966 after
a doctorate at Oxford he returned to
Australia in 1971 he shared
accommodation in East Ballarat with
fellow priest Gerald Ridsdale 20 years
later had Pell accompanied Ridsdale to
court Ridsdale pleaded guilty to abusing
children but Pell denied any knowledge
of his offenses I didn't know whether it
was common knowledge or whether it
wasn't it's a sad story and it wasn't of
much interest to me as a young priest
Pell rose quickly through the ranks to
be in charge of Catholic schools in
Ballarat
[Music]
after further education and more senior
roles he became a bishop and then
Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996 pal soon
gained a national reputation as a
staunch defender of the Catholic faith
condemning abortion the ordination of
women and homosexuality we're aware that
it does exist we believe that it's and
such activity is wrong the type of
Catholicism that Pell promoted was what
I'd call boots and all Catholicism you
know you copied sweet you do what you're
told as Archbishop of Melbourne George
Pell engineered an in-house inquiry and
compensation process for victims of
sexual abuse called the Melbourne
response it's a matter of regret that
the Catholic Church has taken some time
to come to grips with this sexual
assault issue adequately George but
victims and their families have
criticized George Pell for lacking
compassion in our interactions with the
male Cardinal Archbishop Pell we
experienced a sociopathic lack of
empathy when we went to them went to
George pal he just crushed us destroyed
us and spoke over us in 2002 George Pell
moves north to become Archbishop of
Sydney and continued to publicly express
sorrow and regret to victims of abuse
especially those who have suffered at
the hands of fellow Christians Christian
officials priests religious teachers
but just after becoming Sydney's top
Catholic Pell was accused of abusing a
boy at a camp in Victoria in 1961 when
he was a trainee priest a retired judge
found honesty in both the accusers
account and Pels denial but rejected the
complaint there's no mud to stick I've
been exonerated Pels rise in rome
continued becoming a cardinal in 2003 he
built relationships with powerful and
influential Cardinals and so his name
then became known in Rome and he was
seen as the go-to person on Australian
affairs by 2014 he was one of the most
powerful men in the Vatican becoming its
treasurer he consolidated the pet of the
whole papal financial system video link
from Rome in 2016 George Pell told the
Royal Commission into institutional
responses to child sexual abuse that he
was unaware of the crimes of others as
he rose through the church are you
telling me they deceived you yes it's an
extraordinary position Cardinal council
this was an extraordinary world a world
of crimes and cover-ups
when abuse allegations against George
Pell himself were aired on 7:30 in 2016
Victorian police confirmed they were
investigating today Victoria police had
charged Cardinal George Pell with
historical sexual assault offences from
Rome Pell responded quickly I'm looking
forward finally to having my day in
court
I'm innocent of these charges they are
false the whole idea of sexual
is abhorrent to me George Pell returned
to Australia for his day in court
and in December a jury found him guilty
of child sexual offences against two
choir boys in Melbourne in 1996 this is
the shock of shocks and so I'm almost at
a loss as to answer the question where
we go from here
and I think the only thing that I can
ask of the bishops is that that they get
together and offer us some leadership
because God knows the Catholic Church in
Australia needs it George Pell maintains
his innocence and is appealing the
judgment