Former Sydney barrister John McCarthy, KC, who was Australia’s Ambassador to the Holy See from 2012 to 2016 and who had recognized Pell personally for greater than 40 years, remembers Pell as a towering determine in Sydney, Australia and Rome.
“It’s unlikely that within the close to future, anybody can have as a lot standing in Rome as a lot as Cardinal Pell had within the Australian hierarchy,” he mentioned.
“It’s clear that he remained – each in church phrases and for the broader media and world – a really robust and optimistic asset to the Holy Father and the administration of the Holy See. I additionally be aware that he was a really robust and early supporter to Pope Francis.“
McCarthy mentioned he by no means believed the cardinal was responsible of intercourse abuse. Pell was the primary cardinal on the planet to be jailed for youngster intercourse offences and served a yr in jail earlier than the Excessive Courtroom dismissed the fees.
“I assumed the sentence that he had been given and time in jail was some of the extraordinary in Australian historical past. His response to imprisonment, by way of his spirit as proven by his writings, was additionally extraordinary and filled with Christian spirit and love.”
McCarthy mentioned Pell had exercised a robust management position in Australia and was answerable for World Youth Day, clergy reform, the church’s response to intercourse abuse.
“He was Australia’s best-known priest and was a world determine,” he mentioned. “He had credibility of an infinite order in Rome for his integrity in respect to administration and cash.
Pope Francis indicators a cricket bat he acquired from Cardinal George Pell in 2015.Credit score:AP
“There isn’t a doubt that many issues had been made troublesome for him in Rome as a result of he didn’t method this with something apart from the standards of absolute integrity and correct administration.”
McCarthy, who chairs the Catholic Church Anti-Slavery Taskforce, mentioned Pell had been a robust supporter of the marketing campaign to finish trendy slavery.
He additionally remembers Pell as an amazing admirer of artist Michelangelo and a beneficiant supporter of younger Australian seminarians in Rome.
McCarthy mentioned his household, together with his Catholic priest son James, had been shocked and in mourning.
“We categorical our solidarity and condolences to his brother David and his different kin,” he mentioned.
“I used to be within the class of people that thought he was just about indestructible. He will probably be in my ideas and prayers over the approaching days and weeks.”
