Cardinal George Pell meets with Pope Francis at Vatican

Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Pope Francis met with Australian Cardinal George Pell at the Vatican Monday for the first time since Pell was released from prison in April after that Australia's high court overturned his guilty verdict on sexual abuse of minors charges.

Pell had been convicted in December 2018 on one charge of sexual penetration of a child under 16 years and four charges of committing an act of indecency with or in the presence of a child under 16 years. The Australian High Court acquitted Pell this spring in a summary decision, finding the jury failed to maintain doubt over his guilt.

Pell was serving as prefect emeritus of the Secretariat for the Economy when he returned to Australia in July 2017 to defend himself on charges that date back to the 1990s.

Monday's private meeting lasted for about 30 minutes. The Holy See press office gave no other details of the meeting.

Pell has maintained his innocence and said after his high court ruling that he holds "no ill will toward my accuser." He said he believed the trial was not a referendum on the church but "whether I had committed these awful crimes, and I did not."

Pell's meeting with Pope Francis comes a week after the resignation of Cardinal Angelo Becciu on financial misconduct allegations.