SW News: On Saturday, St. Peter's Basilica celebrated the Requiem Mass for Cardinal George Pell, prefect emeritus of the Secretariat for the Economy who passed away on January 10.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, noted that the unexpected end of Cardinal George Pell's earthly life took us all by surprise in his sermon during the funeral.
Despite being 81 years old, the late Australian-born Cardinal seemed in good health and was present with us to concelebrate the burial Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on the parvis of the Basilica.
The late Cardinal Pell's final years were marked by an unjust and terrible condemnation, Cardinal Re continued. He was accused of sexual abuse in Australia in June 2017 and was found guilty, receiving a prison sentence. Cardinal Pell spent 404 days in the cells of two maximum security prisons, first in Melbourne and then in Barwon. This included a period of solitary confinement.
The Australian High Court acquitted Cardinal Pell in April 2020.
"His was an experience of enormous agony suffered with confidence in God's judgment and he used it as an illustration of how to accept even unjust penalties with grace and inner peace,” said Cardinal Re.
Cardinal Pell found a lot of solace and support in his faith and prayers during that trying time. According to Cardinal Re, "he published a journal written during his long days in prison to make known how much faith and prayer serve us in the toughest moments of life and also to support those who must unjustly suffer."
The late Cardinal Pell was a man of God and man of the Church, characterized by a deep faith and great constancy of doctrine, which he constantly defended without hesitation and with courage, concerned only with being faithful to Christ, Cardinal Re stressed in his concluding remarks.
Pope Francis presided over the Ultima Commendatio and Valedictio ceremonies that took place after the Eucharistic feast.