Cardinal George Pell / Daniel Ibanez/CNA. See CNA article for full slideshow.
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 11, 2023 / 08:30 am (CNA).
Australian Cardinal George Pell died Tuesday in Rome at age 81 after suffering a cardiac arrest following a routine hip replacement surgery, his secretary confirmed to EWTN.
Church leaders in Australia reacted with sadness and shock at the news of Pell’s death. “May eternal light now be his, who so steadfastly believed in the God of Jesus Christ,” Comensoli wrote on Twitter.
“I offer sentiments of heartfelt condolence,” the pope said in a Jan. 11 message, “remembering with a grateful heart his consistent and committed witness, his dedication to the Gospel and the Church, and particularly his diligent cooperation with the Holy See in the context of its recent economic reform, of which he laid the foundations with determination and wisdom.”
The prime minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, said a memorial Mass will be held for Pell at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, where he will be buried, according to Sky News Australia.
Pell’s funeral Mass will be held at the Vatican. The date has not yet been announced.
Pell, prefect emeritus of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, recently remembered Pope Benedict XVI during an EWTN News In Depth Interview shortly after the late pope’s death.
The Australian was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in October 2003, while he was archbishop of Sydney. Ten years later, Pope Francis appointed Pell a member of his Council of Cardinals, and the year after, he put him in charge of Vatican finances.
In 2017, Pell left Rome for Australia to defend his innocence of abuse charges. After 404 days in prison he was ultimately acquitted in 2020. He returned to live in Rome on Sept. 30, 2020, his first visit back to the city since his trial and imprisonment.
Below are photos of Pell throughout his time as cardinal.
Newly appointed Cardinal George Pell of Australia kisses Pope John Paul II’s hand in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 21, 2003, at the Vatican during the ordination ceremony of new cardinals. Photo by PAOLO COCCO/AFP via Getty Images
Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal George Pell smile at one another while thanking all the volunteers at The Domain on July 21, 2008, in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, unveils Australia’s first pure gold (L) and silver (R) coins commemorating the canonization of Mary MacKillop in Sydney on Sept. 30, 2010. Photo by TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP via Getty Images
Australian Cardinal George Pell (R) and Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze arrive for a meeting on the eve of the start of a conclave on March 11, 2013, at the Vatican. Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images
Australian Cardinal George Pell as prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy of the Holy See attends a press conference on March 31, 2014, at the Vatican. Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images
Cardinal George Pell leaves the opening session of the Synod on the themes of family at Synod Hall on Oct. 5, 2015, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Giulio Origlia/Getty Images)
Australian Cardinal George Pell on June 29, 2017. Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images
Former archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell attends the Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 13, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Cardinal George Pell arrives at Melbourne County Court on Feb. 27, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. Michael Dodge/Getty Images
Cardinal George Pell gives an interview to EWTN News in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 9, 2020. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.
Australian Cardinal George Pell leaves after being released from Barwon Prison near Anakie, some 70 kilometers west of Melbourne, on April 7, 2020. Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images
Former Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell attends the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 16, 2022, in Vatican City, Vatican. Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Cardinal George Pell at the annual Eucharistic procession at the Angelicum in Rome, May 13, 2021. Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.
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Vatican City, Feb 21, 2017 / 05:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican and one of Islam’s most renowned schools of Sunni thought are joining forces to discuss how they can work together in combating religious extremism that uses God’s name to … […]
Vatican City, Jun 5, 2018 / 11:32 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Ahead the presentation of the Biagio Agnes International Journalism Award, Pope Francis advised journalists to consider of all walks of life in their work, pursue truth, and always introduce hope.
Often, he said, “the nerve centres of news production are found in large centres,” but stories worth telling exist beyond these hubs of human activity. Many of these quiet existences are proof of great “suffering and degradation.”
Francis, however, suggested that these stories also offer perspective: “other times they are stories of great solidarity that can help everyone to look at reality in a renewed way,” he said.
The pope spoke to a delegation of the award June 4 at the Vatican’s Clementine Hall. The award will be presented in Sorrento June 22-24.
The award is named for Biagio Agnes, a well-known Italian journalist who was director of Italy’s state broadcaster, RAI, and who died in 2011.
“By taking to heart his teaching, you all commit yourselves, first of all personally, to a communication able to place the truth before personal or corporate interests,” Francis told the journalists.
“Being a journalist relates to the formation of people, their vision of the world and their attitudes when faced with events,” he reflected.
Practicing self-discipline, the pope said, is also key “so as not to fall into the trap of logics of opposing interests or ideologies.” Journalists should not be afraid to reveal even the most difficult of truths.
“Today, in a world where everything is fast, it is increasingly urgent to appeal to the troubled and arduous law of in-depth research, comparison and, if necessary, also of remaining silent rather than harming a person or a group of people or delegitimizing an event,” he said.
While acknowledging its difficulty, “the story of a life is understood at its end, and this should help us to become courageous and prophetic,” he added.
Finally, Francis encouraged the journalists to incorporate light and hope into their work. While they shouldn’t aim to communicate news in an unrealistically positive way, he said, they should certainly be “denouncing situations of degradation and despair.”
“It is a matter of opening spaces of hope,” he said.
The pope also called for adaptation to quickly evolving technology.
“It is increasingly necessary if we wish to continue to be educators of the new generations,” Francis said.
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