Australian Cardinal George Pell, a towering figure in the Church and a defender of Orthodox Catholicism, died last night from cardiac arrest.
In 2017, Cardinal Pell left Rome returning to Australia to defend his innocence following charges of sexual abuse. Initially convicted, he spent 404 days in prison, much of it in solitary confinement. However, he was acquitted in 2020, by a unanimous decision from Australia’s highest court, and returned to Rome.
Previously Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne, in 2014 he was appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Vatican’s Economy Department.
Last night, when his death was confirmed, one Church leader in Australia called it “a great shock to us all.” Cardinal Pell was 81 years old.
Andreas Thonhauser:
It is a sad day for us here in Rome and for the church as a whole. Cardinal George Pell died yesterday from cardiac arrest. This came as a sad surprise. Only last week, EWTN had Cardinal Pell on our live show from our studio here in Rome as an important commentator on Pope Benedict XVI. In addition, we interviewed him right after the passing of Benedict as the two were quite close with their theological visions but also as friends.
What we know is that Cardinal Pell had an operation, a hip replacement, yesterday, in Salvator Mundi Hospital in Rome. This operation went well and he recovered quickly. However, later in the evening he had a heart attack. Father Joseph Hamilton, his personal secretary told media that there will be an autopsy. However, everyone around his eminence was still in shock. So far, we know that there will be a funeral Mass offered in Rome. Cardinal Pell then will be brought to Sydney. He will be buried there in St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Cardinal Pell was a spiritual giant, especially in his past few years here in Rome. After his tragic and wrongful conviction and imprisonment, many came to regard him as a role model for a spiritual life. He accepted his suffering and then his eventual acquittal with dignity and peace.
Before his trial, he was the Prefect for the Secretariat of the Economy, member of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinal Advisors and one of the highest-ranking church officials in the world. In this position, Cardinal Pell was committed to bring transparency to financial church affairs. This was no easy task and he left the role before he had finished it, because of the court trials in Australia and the wrongful accusations.
Cardinal Pell was also very outspoken on theological issues, constantly defending church’s teachings and bringing clarity to the discussion. As an example: last year he has been very vocal about the German Synodal Way and the Synod of Synodality, asking the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith to intervene and investigate statements from the head of the German Bishop’s conference Bishop Batzing and from Cardinal Jean Claude Hollerich, who is the realtor general of the global synod. Both made statements suggesting that the Church would have to rethink its stance on homosexuality.
In this and many other cases, he reminded us that we need to rediscover the promises of Jesus and defend the deposit of faith. To him, following the dictates of a contemporary culture was never a solution.
Cardinal Pell will be primarily remembered in line with his episcopal motto: Nolite timere – Be not afraid. Following this motto, he fearlessly tackled corruption and promoted transparency. Went to Australia to face the charges wrongfully brought against him regarding child abuse. And then returned to Rome, as an advocate for truth.
Last year, Cardinal Pell accepted our invitation here in Rome to celebrate the anniversary mass for Mother Angelica’s passing. He called her a nun who moved mountains and who – like him – was also not afraid of anything or anyone.
