Catholic church in Australia

People inside and outside the church are calling on authorities to get to the bottom of mystery funds transferred from the Vatican to Australia.

Book review: Melissa Davey, Guardian Australia's Melbourne bureau chief, spent hours in court 4.3 of the southeastern state of during Pell's trial. Her resulting volume, The Case of George Pell: Reckoning with Child Sexual Abuse by Clergy, is an invaluable resource.

"The Light From the Southern Cross," a report commissioned by Australia's bishops and religious orders, recommends a series of radical changes to the way the Catholic Church operates across the country.

Commentary: There are signs that the Catholic Church's response to the sexual abuse crisis is now getting at deeper, institutional questions. A unique example that could bring encouraging news has come from Australia.

"We cannot go on the way we have," said Bishop Vincent Long. "We must humbly and boldly address the biggest challenge of our time and build a healthier church for future generations."

Alongside positive responses from church officials, reaction from groups that support survivors varied, with some harshly criticizing the decision and others saying the cardinal's case still represents progress.

Cardinal George Pell will have his last chance to have his conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year old choirboys overturned when his lawyers plead his case to the High Court of Australia March 11-12.

A six-person committee charged with reviewing church governance and management is expected to present Australia's bishops with a plan to overhaul the management of the church in the country.