Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has delivered a eulogy at the funeral of George Pell, calling him “the greatest man I’ve ever known”.
The funeral, held at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, was overwhelmed by crowds of protestors outside, with survivors of child sexual abuse describing it as a difficult day.
In his eulogy, Abbott said Pell was a “hero”, who was made a “scapegoat for the church itself”.
“In short, he’s the greatest Catholic Australia has ever produced, and one of our country’s greatest sons,” Abbott said.
Abbott made reference to the many angry protestors outside, saying: “As I heard the chant “George Pell go to hell”, I though “Aha!” at least, they now believe in the afterlife. Perhaps this is St George Pell’s first miracle.”
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia found Pell knew about child abuse by clergy in the 1970s and failed to take action. At the time, Pell said the findings were not supported by evidence.
Before the funeral, many people tied ribbons of solidarity with survivors of child sexual abuse outside St Mary’s Cathedral.
A devout Catholic, Abbott went on to say there should be: “Pell study courses, Pell spirituality courses, Pell lectures, Pell High Schools, Pell University colleges, just as there are for the other saints”.
Abbott also took a swipe at the “climate change movement” as he described it.
“[Pell’s] recent observation that the climate change movement had some of the characteristics of a low level, not too demanding pseudo religion was the kind of comment that enraged, precisely because it was true,” Abbott said.
“And throughout history, that’s what people have been martyred for. For telling the unpopular, unpalatable truth.”
Abbott went on to say Pell should “never have been investigated in the absence of a complaint. He should never have been charged in the absence of corroborating evidence, and he should never have been convicted in the absence of a plausible case, as the high court, so resoundingly made plain”.
In 2017, Pell stood trial for child abuse offenses and was later convicted of molesting two teenage boys during his time as archbishop of Melbourne in 1996. The conviction was overturned by the High Court in 2020. Pell always maintained his innocence.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton was in attendance at Pell’s funeral, but there were many notable absences among other political leaders. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not attend, neither did NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet or Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.