Two of his friends refer to some of the Pell’s last unpublished thoughts: his displeasure with the way Benedict’s funerals was conducted.
Newsroom (07/02/2023 09:33, Gaudium Press) Nico Spuntoni of Il Giornale refers to some of Cardinal George Pell’s last thoughts, related by two of his friends, Tess Livingstone and Jesuit Frank Brennan, now published in The Australian as a result of Cardinal Pell’s well-attended funeral in Sydney. Livingstone writes:
“In particular, he could be tough on disrespect for the dead, as he was in our last conversation, the night before he entered the hospital [where he had surgery on his hip, and as a result, he died]. On that occasion, he was upset: because the Vatican had allowed stores to remain open during the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square, with Pope Francis’s poor sermon on his predecessor, the omission of the Roman canon in favor of another eucharistic prayer and the bureaucrats of the curia making it difficult for priests to concelebrate”.
In turn, Fr. Frank Brennan, after recalling the significant role played by the Australian cardinal in the last two conclaves, noted that “despite being over 80 and unable to vote, he hoped to have a decisive influence in determining the outcome of the next one. Over lunch in Rome a few weeks ago, he assured me that the next conclave was not far off.” This desire to influence would have been decisive for his operation not being carried out in Australia, since he “did not want to run the risk of being on the other side of the world after the operation and before the conclave”.
The Il Giornale journalist declares that he is also a witness to Cardinal Pell’s thoughts: “whoever writes here can confirm both revelations: it is true, according to Livingstone, that the methods of managing Benedict XVI’s funeral had bothered the cardinal, as well as it is true that, despite the advice of friends and acquaintances to have the surgery in his home country or at least in London, Pell firmly wanted to remain in Rome because he was convinced that a possible conclave could be held at any moment”, expresses Spuntoni .
Compiled by Raunaq Luis Fernandes
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