Cardinal and Prime Minister

Pell's path up the ladder was decided by the power brokers of the Church whom he courted assiduously. He would never have risen above moderate levels if his promotions had relied upon the votes of his fellow priests. Indeed, he would have been heavily defeated as dislike of him is intense. Like Turnbull, he does not tolerate fools gladly.

Now, no matter whether he is proven innocent or guilty, he will rise no further. He will lose his current job and be forced into retirement.

Turnbull has reached the end of the line too. No matter what he does, one side or the other in his Party hates his guts and the voters have stopped listening to him.

Both now face formidable hurdles in retaining some dignity from their demise.

Pell will find it almost impossible to find an unbiased Jury and the media will turn his trial into a circus. Every salacious detail will be top of the news for every day of his long trial, especially as the charges he now faces do not just cover negligence. He is accused of actual activity personally in the abuse of children.

Turnbull faces a sworn enemy in Tony Abbott who is obsessed in bringing him down and he carries out his obsession with a burning hatred. Abbott will win and he is prepared to destroy the Liberal Party in order to spill blood. Sanity has departed the scene as personal dislike is mutual.

And, with a touch of irony, Abbott is a close personal friend of Pell whom he admires enormously. Like the demise of Pell, Abbott's assassination of Turnbull will kill his career also.

Pell made a wrong choice in church politics. He chose to be a conservative because Popes John Paul and Benedict were arch conservatives and they had the power to get him to the top. Alas, when he got near his goal, Francis, a radical liberal, ascended to the throne and that will finish Pell's career no matter what happens at his trial.

Turnbull leads a Party that is called Liberal, but has always been Conservative. Turnbull is not a Conservative, but pretended that he was in order to defeat Abbott. Now, he and Abbott will tear the Liberals apart. Turnbull is the last Leader of the Menzies heritage before it splits in two.

There is one other similarity. Both are poor public speakers.

Pell's testimony at both the Victorian and Federal Royal Commissions on Child Abuse were appalling displays of hopeless communication that caused him to lose a massive volume of community support.

When Turnbull speaks, he always appears to be putting on an act. Try as he might, he comes over as not being genuine and it causes him to lose more votes every day.

So, it is all very sad.

Two talented men will fall mightily. Pell's climb up the ladder to the Vatican was an extraordinary achievement, as was Turnbull's return from political death after Abbott deposed him as Leader.

All is now ashes.