The sudden death of Cardinal Pell comes in the immediate wake of Papa Emeritus Benedict, and has already seen its share of revelations and controversies, as with the former Roman Pontiff.
Famously, His late Eminence was a member of the Holy Father’s inner circle of cardinals and was appointed to clean up the notoriously corrupt Vatican Bank. This effort was cut short when the Cardinal was falsely convicted of sexual abuse and spent over a year in an Australian prison from February 2019 to April 2020. His prison journal is being published by Ignatius Press in three volumes.
Athanasius Schneider offered a fitting statement on the occasion of his brother bishop’s death:
Let us pray for the soul of Cardinal George Pell, that the Lord has suddenly called to His Eternal Reign. Cardinal Pell, who suffered here on earth persecution for the sake of the Catholic truth, may receive from the Lord his eternal reward. pic.twitter.com/r5zdF48xwR
— Bishop Athanasius Schneider (@BishopAthanas1) January 11, 2023
The requiem Mass will be offered for his soul tomorrow in Rome tomorrow. Before we comment on the controversies that have been unearthed since his death, let us commit to offering some prayers for his soul in union with his Requiem Mass tomorrow.