For the first few sentences I was inclined to take the article seriously, but now I realise it was written in the great Australian tradition of 'taking the micky' and as such it works well. I agree with the author, Pell really is an odious creature.
Bruce Haigh

Many people have wrong idea about Cardinal Pell from secular media. No one doubts his credibility if one reads his homily or weekly columns. There was interesting article about Cardinal Pell by George Weigel last year(http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/12/the-cardinal-down-under) in which he concludes by saying “Australia and the entire world Church, owe George Pell a large debt of gratitude.” There can be truer word than this if one understands the whole story. We the Youth of Sydney are grateful for his leadership and we love him.

Geoge is a fourth rate propaganda hack.

Comments on some of the stuff Laura writes.

As is usual with self-righteous conservative "catholics" they always dismiss the members of "secular" media as not being fair when reporting or commenting on the propaganda of the institutional church.
Never mind that the "catholic" church runs the worlds largest propaganda machine. The tentacles of which reach into almost every city, suburb, town and village on the planet via the agency of the local church and parish school. Never mind too that the poop, cardinals, bishops and priests are members of the world's cultural elite. Cardinals are called "princes" of the church. The poop is effectively the last of the worlds emperors who sits on a gold-encrusted IMPERIAL throne in Rome - from where he lectures the faithful suckers on the "virtues" of their impoverished humble condition.

Zenit is not a reputable "religious" "news"-paper. It is a propaganda machine which, as far as I know, is run by the ultra conservative essentially fascist opus dei.

Is George really a well-respected and widely read author and theologian? Well respected and read by whom? He has produced NO significant theology - theology of course has nothing whatsoever to do with Truth & Reality. His published books are painfully third rate. The stuff that he writes for the Telegraph and his official Sydney website is uniformly pathetic.

George did not "wipe the floor" with Richard Dawkins. He came across as an ignorant bumbling fool.

The misnamed "world" Youth Day was no such thing. It should be called "catholic" Youth (propaganda) Day.
Why did we secular tax payers subsidize it?
These youth days actually belong entirely within the sucker-is-born-every-minute circus & showbiz tradition of P T Barnum. Barnum was of course wrong - thousands of suckers are born every minute.

Barney Zwartz is a passionate committed Christian. I find Barney to be easily the best religious affairs journalist in the Australia. His writings are always balanced and sane. He is doing us all a favour via his recent entirely necessary criticisms of Pell and similar double-minded "catholic" propaganda hacks.

What's with this sudden spate of mini-hagiographies of Cardinal Pell? Does the Catholic community reckon their concerted attempts to whitewash their leader's image locally, will somehow filter through to the conclave? Or is it perhaps an exercise in reassurance to themselves, that the overwhelming dismissal of Pell as a lightweight is somehow misplaced?

As far as I can see, they are making zero progress on this front, and are in severe danger of shooting themselves in the foot as they over-egg the pudding. (Forgive the laughably mixed metaphor. Although I quite like it, myself).

The naivete is quite cute, though, in its own way.

"...if an Australian was competing in a global event such as the Olympics would we not cheer them on?".

Equating the papacy with an Olympic gold medal? Priceless.

Showing Pell-like comprehension of the English language:

"... drudging up old accusations of abuse"

Although perhaps the usage is in fact extremely sophisticated imagery... "drudging: doing arduous or unpleasant work".

Nah. Just carelessness.

"...Pell has shown great courage facing atheist Richard Dawkins"

Courage was most definitely a requirement, when pitting his narrow mind against a genuine intellectual. Unfortunately, he not only failed to land a single punch, but was unaware - blissfully ignorant, in fact - that he was making rather an idiot of himself in public.

This phrase puts the piece into sharp perspective:

"...gently chastising Tony Jones in his deep authoritative voice"

Hero-worship. Known to cause intellectual blindness.

Sorry, but this nearly caused a major coffee/keyboard incident...

"Cardinal George Pell is a typical Australian"

Must be an Australia in an entirely different time/space dimension, I'm afraid. There is absolutely nothing typically Australian about someone who goes about in fancy dress, living off the guilt-money he extracts from the general public through a network of standover men.

Where Mardi Gras meets bikie gangs, perhaps...

Perhaps the reason that today there are 2 hagiographies of Pell and the poop is because the IPA (which sponsors this site) has very close links with right-wing "catholics" and opus dei too.
John Roskam is one of the founders and directors of the right-wing "catholic" publishing house Connor Court which I suspect is operated by opus dei.
Connor Court publishes books by George Pell, the usual right-wing suspects, and, surprise surprise, the so called climate-change skeptics. It also publishes an online magazine featuring the same writers.
Both Connor Court and the IPA have close links with the "catholic" so called liberal arts "university" in Sydney, namely Campion College. Campion regularly sponsors seminars and gab-fests which feature speakers from the Connor Court stable of hick writers, and the usual USA right-wing "catholic" suspects such as the uber creepy double-minded propaganda hack George Weigel (who was referred to today in one of the comments).

Gee, I'm surprised at the amount of antipathy that's levelled at the good Cardinal, given he's one of ours ?

Personally I don't have any interest in who succeeds, the previous incumbent in Rome. But whoever does get the gig, he'll surely inherit and assume carriage for the many thousands of writs and allegations, associated with the many complaints, of both illegal and inappropriate sexual conduct, occasioned mainly against our precious children. Most of which have been allegedly perpetrated by many of his priests. Priests that have hitherto, allegedly received the Church's protectorship from the normal processes of the law. It's to be hoped whoever he is, he's young and healthy enough to assume the heavy mantle, and continue to toil away at resolving many of these difficult criminal matters.

I note with interest the eminence of none other, then Mr Bruce Haigh, presents us with his vivid account of Cardinal Pell's fitness or otherwise to assume the position, that of Pope ? How Mr Haigh would know, given the extraneous, and often tedious nature of much of what he himself writes, I wouldn't know ? Nor would I have any specific knowledge of a kind, that would precisely and factually determine Cardinal Pell's ability to discharge the duties and responsibilities of Pope, nor would I suggest does Mr Haigh ?

That aside, I'm really surprised at how very little support Cardinal Pell does enjoy. Still, the next Pope will as always, be decided by that august group of men referred to as the College of Cardinals, in the fullness of time.

Daffy Duck

It appears that your strength is writing fiction, as you could claim that any resemblance to the truth is unintended and purely coincidental

Lino James,

Thanks for the link to the, I think too celebratory, article by Weigel.

The German journalist Andreas Englisch, known in Germany for his books (in German) about the last two Popes, said “I hope they will choose a reformer, somebody who is less conservative - for instance Cardinal George Pell from Australia” (http://www.wa.de/nachrichten/nrw/vatikan-kenner-andreas-englisch-werl-ruecktritt-papst-bendikt-xvi-interview-2746484.html). Well, most unlikely, to say the least, but still.

Living now in Germany, I have been reading these comments, written by Australians, “emotionally critical” (to use a mild phrase) of their (theoretical) candidate for papacy. They in some sense are not unlike similar opinions expressed by many Germans about their candidate (Ratzinger) in 2005. Well, if being hated by compatriots were a decisive factor to being elected Pope, Pell’s chances would be as good as were those of Ratzinger (who became Benedict XVI) in 2005.

It's about time His Eminence and his colleagues got a real job, or at least, the multi-billion dollar business known as the "Catholic Church" paid taxes on profits earned.

I see that the new poop has chosen the name Francis which is of course quite apt because Francis was the principal character in a 50's TV show, namely Francis the Talking Donkey.

I reckon the new Pope named himself after Frank Sinatra..."It can only be my way" !!

When I heard " Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus Papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Georgium" my jaws dropped until I realised Cardinal Pell was not the only Cardinal whose Latin name was Georgius.

You mean, you thought it was you, George?

"...habemus Papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Georgium""

Have a great day.

No Pericles, but I thought you would think I thought so.