Yesterday, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, His late Eminence, Cardinal Pell was laid to rest in the crypt of Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, near to all his predecessors going back to the foundation of the Church in Australia in 1820. As an historian by discipline, he would relish the company he now keeps in death.
It is a sad fact that the Cardinal was a man much-hated in his native Australia, thanks to years and years of unrelenting detraction from the Australian media and liberal elements within the Church. He was also greatly admired and regarded as a hero by Faithful Catholics from the time of his appointment as a bishop in 1987. In Australia, he subsequently became Archbishop of Melbourne and then Archbishop of Sydney before accepting a role within the Roman Curia to tidy-up financial affairs.
The late Cardinal had a great vision for the Church in Australia, once commenting that he intended to work to avoid the worst possible outcome : namely, the Church in Australia following the lead of the Church in Holland. As Archbishop of Melbourne and then Archbishop of Sydney his steadily put into place his broad and deep vision for a revitalised, faithful, well-educated and apostolic Australian Church. It will take a further twenty years for his vision to be entirely realised, in God's Providence.
Throughout his years of leadership his work was thwarted by the hatred of a certain element of Australian society, who wished to present themselves as champions of justice. This culminated in the shameful moment when a Prince of the Church was falsely accused, convicted and gaoled in his own land. How could any Catholic reflect on these facts and not feel the deepest shame? These trials compromised the health of the Cardinal, and he has died prematurely for a man of such renowned vigour.
We lament his loss, pray for his soul and thank God for his good, faithful work and for the wonderful example of his courage and integrity in the midst of persecution.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, with your saints forever; for you are merciful.
