Cardinal George Pell has denied that he is a "rebel" who is at odds with the Pope.

A few days ago Cardinal Pell, prefect of the Vatican secretariat for the economy, showed his support for the conservative side. He said: "We have no power to change the central teachings of the New Testament or the essential teachings of popes and councils. We are not like Moses, and while we are the successors of the apostles, we are not their equals."

Speaking again this week, he emphasised that in a universal church, doctrine does not change from one country to the next.

"You cannot have two people in the same situation with the same dispositions; one goes to Communion and it a sacrilege and in the country next-door it is a cause of grace," he said in an interview with Catholic News Agency.

"Catholic means universal, not continental," he added.

This did not mean he was at odds with Pope Francis.

The Pope is "a very good listener," he said, stating that both he and the Pope wanted no change to doctrine.

"One of my concerns is for doctrine, and the Pope has said the doctrine will not be touched. I am not a rebel or an opponent of the Pope."

On the first two parts of the final document, bishops had voted an overwhelming majority on the main issues. Voting on the third part, paragraph by paragraph, continues this week. Pope Francis has pledged there will be no manipulation.

Cardinal Pell, a member of the C9, the Council of Nine Cardinals that advises the Pope, said there was an atmosphere of freedom in the Synod. "People are able to speak what is in their minds and are doing that." He added: "We are not ruled by synods."

It was important that some "clear teaching" emerges from the Synod and Pope Francis himself  "because there is some measure of confusion," he added.