An order of suppression has been revoked and now the truth can be told: Cardinal George Pell of Melbourne has been convicted of sexually abusing two choirboys during the 1990s when he was the city's Archbishop.

Australia's top Roman Catholic cleric as well as the former Vatican treasurer, Pell is easily the highest-profile church official to be charged and convicted in the non-stop scandal of clergy abusing children.  The court found him guilty of orally raping one choirboy, and molesting another in East Melbourne's St. Patrick's Cathedral 22 years ago.

The first trial took place last September, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict.  The second trial was in December, and the judge slapped an order of suppression on the media preventing the reporting of the verdict, which came down on 11 December.  County Court chief judge Peter Kidd has rescinded that order, a day before Cardinal Pell is to have a pre-sentencing hearing.  Pell is expected to be remanded into custody, and sentencing will take place in a week to a fortnight (depending on if The ABC or The Age is correct).

It is now almost certain that Pell will never return from his leave of absence from his previous gig as head of the Vatican's finances, and any speculation that he would be a possible successor to Pope Francis is over.

Nevertheless, Pell's attorney says they will appeal the guilty verdict.