Cardinal George Pell's Funeral at the Vatican with Pope Francis Presiding Over the Funeral Rites

Pope Francis presided over the funeral rites of Ultima Commendatio and Valedictio. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re celebrated the funeral Mass of the late Australian Cardinal George Pell.

The Requiem Mass of Cardinal George Pell, prefect emeritus of the Secretariat for the Economy, who died unexpectedly on the 10th of January, was celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, on January 14th.

In his homily at the funeral, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, recalled that "the unexpected end of Cardinal George Pell's earthly life took us all by surprise.”

The late Australian-born Cardinal "was present with us to concelebrate the funeral Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on the parvis of the Basilica and, despite his 81 years, he seemed in good health."

Cardinal Re then recalled that the last years of the late Cardinal Pell's life "were marked by an unjust and painful condemnation."

“In June 2017, he was accused of sexual abuse in Australia, and the trial resulted in a prison sentence,” 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, noted the Cardinal Dean, the Australian High Court exonerated Cardinal Pell in April 2020 by overturning the guilty verdict.

"His was an experience of great suffering endured with confidence in God's judgment," said Cardinal Re, saying it offered an example of how to accept even unjust punishments with dignity and inner peace.

Faith and prayer, added the Cardinal Dean, were of great comfort and support to Cardinal Pell during that difficult time.

"In order to make known how much faith and prayer assist us in the difficult moments of life and also to support those who must unjustly suffer," said Cardinal Re, "he published a diary written during his long days in prison.”

At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Re highlighted that the late Cardinal Pell was a "man of God and man of the Church characterized by a deep faith and great steadfastness of doctrine, which he always defended without hesitation and with courage, concerned only with being faithful to Christ.”

Edited from Vatican News