Nearly 18 months after Pell was brought to the Vatican by Pope Francis and given a mandate to reform the city-state鱿鱼视频app banking affairs, the Australian cardinal gave an interview to the Financial Times, whacking his boss鈥� landmark document.
鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app got many, many interesting elements. There are parts of it which are beautiful,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the Church has no particular expertise in science 鈥� the Church has got no mandate from the Lord to pronounce on scientific matters. We believe in the autonomy of science,鈥� Pell told the Financial Times.
In the papal letter, released last month, Francis called for global action on climate change and criticized world leaders for not addressing the issue urgently enough. While the Pope won praise from environmental activists, others have argued the Pope should not be wading into the political and scientific debate.
Until now, Pell had remained quiet on the contents of the encyclical, despite gaining a reputation in Australia as a climate change denier. In 2011, he clashed with the then-head of Australia鱿鱼视频app Bureau of Meteorology, Greg Ayers, who said Pell was 鈥渕isled鈥� in his climate change views.
Despite the cardinal鱿鱼视频app criticism of the Pope鱿鱼视频app environmental stance, Pell noted the encyclical had been 鈥渧ery well received鈥� and said Francis had 鈥渂eautifully set out our obligations to future generations and our obligations to the environment.鈥�
Since the document鱿鱼视频app release the Vatican has hosted a high-level meeting on the environment, while Francis has taken his message on the road throughout Latin America.