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Despite suffering 'relentless character assassination', Cardinal George Pell says he will return to Australia to face charges of historical sex offences.
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Despite suffering 'relentless character assassination', Cardinal George Pell says he will return to Australia to face charges of historical sex offences.
In a short statement to Fairfax Media on Thursday after the charges were announced, Mr Abbott offered support for his friend.
"Obviously, the legal process must now take its course,"Â the former prime minister said.
The inquiry's report found Cardinal Pell had "a reluctance to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the Catholic Church's institutional failure to respond appropriately to allegations of criminal child abuse".
When asked about that statement in the report by 3AW's Neil Mitchell, Mr Abbott said he hadn't seen the evidence before the committee or read the report, but that "he is, in my judgment, a fine human being and a great churchman.
"Is he perfect?" Mr Abbott asked. "Has he handled every issue perfectly? Of course not."
In 2012, Mr Abbott described Cardinal Pell asÂ
"a person of significance and influence in my life. Occasionally he will ring me with a thought. Occasionally I will ring him to ask could we catch up. Once or twice I've sought his counsel on important matters where I thought he would have insight and wisdom I didn't think others would likely have".
The Cardinal is the third-most senior Catholic at the Vatican, where he is responsible for the church's finances.
In a press conference broadcast from the Vatican on Thursday afternoon, Cardinal Pell said he looked forward to returning to Australia and vigorously defending the charges. He has repeatedly denied all allegations against him.