An outspoken liberal bishop and a Catholic gay rights group on Monday criticised the appointment of Sydney’s conservative archbishop as a new cardinal. Archbishop George Pell, 62, was among 31 new cardinals created on Sunday by Pope John Paul II.

“I think for him it means it’s a great personal honour and certainly I wouldn’t want to be a party pooper and try and play that down,” Canberra auxiliary Bishop Pat Power told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio. “But in terms of what it means for the church, I think it further shows the church to be representing many elements that I think are not doing the church very much good at the moment,” he added.