George Pell Biography

George Pell AC (born 8 June 1941) is an Australian prelate of the Catholic Church. He became the inaugural Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy in 2014. He previously served as the eighth Archbishop of Sydney (2001–2014), Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne (1987–1996), and Archbishop of Melbourne (1996–2001). He was created a cardinal in 2003. Ordained in 1966, he has also been an author, columnist, public speaker and sportsman, having been signed by the Richmond Football Club, an Australian Rules Football team, in 1959. Since becoming Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996, he has maintained a high public profile on a wide range of issues, while retaining a strict adherence to Catholic orthodoxy.