Pell is the most senior Catholic official to be found guilty of child sex offenses to date. Gasps were heard in court after Pell was pronounced guilty of all charges in December. The Vatican said Pell's conviction was "painful news, which we are aware has shocked many people, not only in Australia." At a historic child abuse summit in Vatican City Sunday, Pope Francis described pedophile priests as "tools of Satan." But Pell's "Melbourne Response" program was criticized for capping compensations to victims at just tens of thousands of Australian dollars.

Source: CNN February 26, 2019 00:02 UTC