Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re celebrates the funeral of the late Australian Cardinal George Pell, with Pope Francis presiding over the rites of Ultima Commendatio and Valedictio.
By Amedeo Lomonaco
The requiem mass for Cardinal George Pell, prefect emeritus of the Secretariat for the Economy, who died suddenly on January 10, was celebrated on Saturday in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
In his homily at the funeral, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, recalled that “the unexpected end of the earthly life of Cardinal George Pell took us all by surprise”.
The late Australian-born cardinal “was present with us to concelebrate the funeral mass of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the forecourt of the basilica and, despite his 81 years, he appeared to be in good health”.
Funeral Mass of Cardinal Pell
Cardinal Pell suffered but trusted God
Cardinal Re then recalled that the last years of the life of the late Cardinal Pell “were marked by unjust and painful condemnation”.
“In June 2017, he was charged with sexual abuse in Australia, and the trial ended in jail time,” he said. “Cardinal Pell spent 404 days in the cells of two maximum security prisons, in Melbourne and then in Barwon, including a period of solitary confinement.”
Then, Cardinal Dean noted, the Australian High Court exonerated Cardinal Pell in April 2020 by overturning the guilty verdict.
“It was an experience of great suffering endured with confidence in the judgment of God,” Cardinal Re said, saying it offered an example of how to accept even unjust punishments with dignity and inner peace.
Faith and prayer, the Cardinal Dean added, have been of great comfort and support to Cardinal Pell during this difficult time.
“In order to make it known how much faith and prayer assist us in the difficult moments of life and also to support those who have to suffer unjustly,” Cardinal Re said, “he published a diary written during his long days in prison “.
Cardinal Re celebrated the funeral mass
A man of God
Finally, Cardinal Re underlined that the late Cardinal Pell was a “man of God and a man of the Church characterized by deep faith and great constancy in doctrine, which he always defended without hesitation and courage, concerned only to be faithful to Christ. ”
At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Pope Francis presided over the rites of Last recommendation and Farewell.
Pope Francis presides over the last rites