George Pell was an Australian cardinal of the Catholic Church who was a key figure of the Australian Catholic Church. He was known for playing a key role in the establishment of Australian Catholic University. Between 2014 and 2019 he served as the inaugural prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy. He also served as the eighth Archbishop of Sydney from 2001 to 2014 , the seventh Archbishop of Melbourne from 1996 to 2001. He was also an auxiliary bishop of Melbourne from 1987 to1996. Pell wa... moreGeorge Pell was an Australian cardinal of the Catholic Church who was a key figure of the Australian Catholic Church. He was known for playing a key role in the establishment of Australian Catholic University. Between 2014 and 2019 he served as the inaugural prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy. He also served as the eighth Archbishop of Sydney from 2001 to 2014 , the seventh Archbishop of Melbourne from 1996 to 2001. He was also an auxiliary bishop of Melbourne from 1987 to1996. Pell was born in Ballarat, Victoria and initially wanted to play football and was signed to Richmond Football Club in 1959. However he later began studies for priesthood in 1960 to -: in his words, " to do God's work". He was assigned to continue studies at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and in 1966 he was ordained a priest. He received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontificia Università Urbaniana in 1967 and subsequently earned his Doctor of philosophy degree in church history at University of Oxford in 1971. Pell was first assigned to serve as an assistant priest in Swan Hill, from then on he went on to have a successful career.
