Vatican City, Jan 17, 2017 / 12:46 pm
In reaction to a new book claiming that Pope Francis has in fact done little to combat clerical sex abuse, and that Cardinal George Pell is implicated, the Australian cardinal's office has dismissed the claims as motivated by opposition to reform.
"These most recent attacks on the Vatican, economic reforms and Cardinal George Pell are not only regurgitating false claims but appear to have a more sinister intent," read a Jan. 15 statement from the office of Cardinal Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy.
"Those opposed to the reforms and threatened by the progress in establishing transparency and addressing illegalities and malpractice have long used lies, smears and public attacks as diversionary tactics."
A new book by Italian journalist Emiliano Fittipaldi called Lussaria, or "Lust", details claims that under Pope Francis, the Vatican has failed to adequately address sex abuse committed by clerics. The book will be release in Italian on Thursday.