Pope rails against ‘unjust sentences’ as Cardinal Pell freed

Pope Francis decries “unjust” sentences against “innocent” people, hours after Australian Cardinal George Pell walked free from prison following the quashing of his conviction for child sex abuse.

Australia’s High Court overturned five counts of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys in the 1990s, bringing to an abrupt end the most high-profile paedophilia case faced by the Catholic Church.

The Vatican says it “welcomed” the court’s decision, pointing out that 78-year-old Pell had steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout a lengthy court process.

“In these days of Lent, we’ve been witnessing the persecution that Jesus underwent and how He was judged ferociously, even though He was innocent,” the pope says on Twitter.

“Let us pray together today for all those persons who suffer due to an unjust sentence because someone had it in for them,” he said, without making any direct reference to Pell.

In these days of #Lent, we've been witnessing the persecution that Jesus underwent and how He was judged ferociously, even though He was innocent. Let us #PrayTogether today for all those persons who suffer due to an unjust sentence because of someone had it in for them.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 7, 2020

— AFP