Child sex abuse victims react to Cardinal George Pell's death

Child sex abuse victims and advocates have reacted after the Vatican announced 81-year-old Cardinal George Pell died from heart complications after a hip operation in Rome today.

"He's certainly burning in hell right now," Phil Nagle, who was assaulted by a priest at the age of nine, said.

"I'm glad he's passed on."

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Pell rose higher than any Australian has in the Catholic church and was the most senior of its figures in the world to face child sex charges.

The cleric was convicted of the sexual assault of two Melbourne choir boys in the 1990s. He spent more than a year behind bars before a High Court appeal set him free, when a full bench of seven judges ruled unanimously in Pell's favour.

After his release, Pell continued to maintain his innocence and said he felt "sorry" for his complainant.

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"I've got no anger, no hostility towards my complainant," he said at the time.

"I'm innocent of these charges. They are false."

Pell also fed fury towards the church with his own evidence before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which exposed harrowing instances of abuse within the Catholic church.

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Nagle said he believed Pell "was a liar and a protector of paedophile clergy".

"(He) had plenty of opportunities during his lifetime to try and redeem himself," Nagle said.

"It's a bit of a shame he's taken the secrets to the grave."

Victims advocate Helen Last said she "felt really numb" when she heard about Pell's death.

"It's a tragedy of great proportions. There's so many survivors in Victoria still who have not been able to come forward about alleged abuse by him, on them," Last said.

"I personally believe on the basis of evidence that George Pell has been involved in a network of sexual offending clergy that goes right back."

Sex abuse victim Michael Advocate shed tears that weren't of sorrow today.

"He was a terrible, terrible human being that just damaged so many child sex abuse victims, including me," Advocate said.

"There's so many of my fellow sufferers, you know … he got off so lightly. I hope he really gets justice.

"If there is a God, dear God may he be forthright in his punishment.

"He damaged so many good and innocent people."

While Pell's death has not been mourned by some, there has been sadness and shock across the Catholic world.

"For me it was very sad, personal news to hear and quite a shock," Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli said.

Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral Archbishop Anthony Fisher said Pell was "without doubt Australia's most prominent ever churchman".

American Catholic newsletter editor JD Flynn, who was with Pell in Rome last week, said he heard bishops describe the Australian as "a champion of (the) Vatican".

Former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott have always been staunch supporters and friends of the Vatican's former treasurer and shared their grief at the news of his death.

"I liked and respected the late cardinal a lot," Howard said.

Abbott said: "I feel a deep sense of loss."

The convicted cardinal was a confidante of popes, priests and politicians, who lived for the church and its beliefs.

And while he was loved by millions, he was despised by many others.