George Pell to fly to Rome as a friend reveals 'he always intended to return'

Cardinal George Pell is returning to Rome five months after a damning report was delivered by Australia’s child sexual abuse royal commission finding he was aware of children being sexually abused within the Catholic Church but failed to adequately act to prevent or stop it.

The Catholic News Agency reported Pell on Tuesday would fly to Rome where he formerly held the role as prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy, effectively making him the financial controller of the church. Pell has been living at the Archdiocese of Sydney since his acquittal by Australia’s high court in April on historical charges of sexual abuse.

“He always intended to return to Rome,” Katrina Lee, Pell’s close friend who is an executive adviser to the archdiocese, told Reuters. She confirmed a report in the Herald Sun on Monday which also said Pell would fly to Rome on Tuesday. Lee said she did not know how long he was going for or the aim of the trip.

A source in Rome told the Guardian that Pell could be visiting an educational institution in the city.

Related: ‘Why didn’t he help those little boys?’: how George Pell failed the children of Ballarat

There were rumours Pell was to fly to Rome in April soon after his release from jail, but at the time Lee told Guardian Australia: “I don’t think anyone would choose to go to Italy for a holiday – or anything else – in the current Covid-19 crisis. Cardinal Pell is staying in Sydney.”

Pell was not removed from his position managing the Vatican’s finances after returning to Australia in 2017 to face child sexual abuse charges. But when his term expired on 24 February 2019 it was not renewed.

Pell had held the position since 2014 including when he was on trial. He stood aside from the role, however, while he faced the charges against him. He was acquitted of all charges in April 2020 and returned to Sydney after he was released from Barwon prison, located just outside of Melbourne, where he was incarcerated for 13 months.

Pell’s return to Rome follows the resignation on Friday of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu following accusations of embezzlement, allegations he denies. In a statement to the Catholic News Agency, Pell praised the Pope and welcomed Beccui’s resignation, saying: “The Holy Father was elected to clean up Vatican finances. He plays a long game and is to be thanked and congratulated on recent developments.”

“I hope the cleaning of the stables continues in both the Vatican and Victoria,” Pell said.

Following his release from prison, Pell accused Victoria police of engaging in a witch-hunt against him during an interview with his friend, Andrew Bolt. According to a column written by Bolt for the Herald Sun on Monday: “Becciu last week vowed to prove his innocence, but now Pell returns, ostensibly to empty his Vatican apartment.”

According to Australian Border Force Covid-19 travel restrictions, international travel exemptions are being provided to those “providing critical skills in religious or theology fields”. Border force has been contacted for comment.

Related: 'He should have done more': key findings from the newly released George Pell reports

In May, more than 100 previously redacted pages of the findings from Australia’s child abuse royal commission inquiry relating to Pell and what he knew about child sexual abuse within the Catholic church were tabled to parliament. The tabling of the findings was delayed until Pell’s legal proceedings had ended so as not to prejudice the case.

The commission found Pell was aware of children being sexually abused within the Archdiocese of Ballarat by notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale and other priests, and that it was “implausible” that other senior church figures did not tell Pell abuse was occurring.

- with Reuters