fbpx
Saturday, February 8, 2025

Premiers rule out state funeral for Pell

The Premiers of Victoria and NSW appear united in their stand against the granting of a state funeral for Cardinal George Pell, who died in Rome on Tuesday as a result of complications during hip surgery.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said he had not received a request for a state funeral for Cardinal Pell, nor would he consider the prospect of one.

“I couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors than that,” said Premier Andrews.

“There won’t be a state memorial service.”

The Premier said the passing of the Cardinal would be a “very challenging time for victim-survivors”.

“We see you, we believe you, we support you and you are at the centre of not only our thoughts, not only our words, but our actions,” he said.

“We should never ever forget that predator brothers and priests were systematically moved around knowingly. It was part of a strategy from one working-class parish to the next.

“We should never ever forget that, and we will never ever forget victims, survivors of institutional child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic church.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet expressed his condolences to Cardinal Pell’s loved ones.

“I just wanted to say to the cardinal’s family our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.”

“There will be a memorial service and that is currently being arranged by the Archdiocese,” Mr Perrottet said. 

“When the time is released, we’ll provide that information in due course.”

Cardinal Pell became Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996, and later Archbishop of Sydney five years later. He was appointed as a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

He will be buried at St Mary’s Cathedral crypt in Sydney alongside other senior Australian Catholic church figures.

Latest Articles