Pope Francis has declared he will wait until the Australian justice system takes its course before taking a position on Cardinal George Pell who is under investigation for sexual abuse allegations against children.
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But the pope said Cardinal Pell, now the Vatican's powerful economy minister, should not undergo a trial by the media or by rumour.
"It's in the hands of the justice system and one cannot judge before the justice system," the pope told reporters aboard the plane returning to Rome form Poland on Sunday. “After the justice system speaks, I will speak.”
He said Pell had a right to the benefit of the “doubt” like all those accused. Victims groups have called on the pope to sack Pell.
The pope has previously vowed zero tolerance for sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has said he would sack bishops found guilty of committing abuse or covering it up.
Late last week, Ballarat clergy sexual abuse survivors called for Cardinal Pell to immediately return to Australia to answer the allegations.
Some survivors have even said if Cardinal Pell refuses to return, they will call for buildings named in his honour at the Australian Catholic University and St Patrick's College to be renamed.