VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis suffered a blow Thursday when his top financial adviser, Cardinal George Pell, was charged in his native Australia with multiple counts of sexual assault from years ago.
The 76-year-old Pell — the highest-ranking Vatican official ever implicated in the scandal — forcefully denied the accusations and took an immediate leave of absence as Vatican finance czar to return to Australia to defend himself.
"The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me," Pell told reporters in the Vatican press office. "News of these charges strengthens my resolve, and court proceedings now offer me an opportunity to clear my name."
The pope thanked him for his "honest" work and collaboration and set about trying to ensure that the financial changes he had entrusted to Pell would continue in his absence.
In 2014, Francis won cautious praise from victims' advocacy groups when he created a commission of outside experts to advise him and the broader church about the "best practices" to fight abuse and protect children.
But the commission has lost much of its credibility after its two members who were survivors of abuse left in frustration. Francis also scrapped the commission's signature proposal — a tribunal to hear cases of bishops who covered up for abuse — after Vatican officials objected.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.