Catholics make public their complaints against Australian cardinal

Published: 2006-02-28

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- More than two dozen prominent Australian Catholics, several of whom are known for dissenting with church teaching on issues such as contraception and abortion, have gone public about their complaint that Sydney Cardinal George Pell's statements on conscience conflict with Catholic doctrine. The 25 -- including academics and religious -- wrote to Cardinal-designate William J. Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in November, asking for clarification of statements made by Cardinal Pell over the last 20 years. The group alleges that Cardinal Pell's teachings on primacy of conscience are "inaccurate, misleading and not true to the Catholic tradition." Cardinal Pell, who was a member of the doctrinal congregation for 10 years and now is chairman of the Australian bishops' Committee for Doctrine and Morals, issued a statement Feb. 18 that dismissed the complaint as "a real hoot" put up by "a loyal opposition of Catholic dissenters."

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