George Pell death updates: Cardinal dies age 81; to be buried in Sydney

Take a look back at some of the key moments from the life of Cardinal George Pell, following his death, aged 81.

Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli has addressed the media at St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne at 2pm, where earlier today residents could be seen tying green ribbons to the fence.

Watch the press conference here.

Thank you for following our coverage and reactions following the death of Cardinal George Pell this morning at 81.

To recap our headlines:

• Cardinal George Pell died in Rome this morning of cardiac arrest after complications with hip surgery.
• Pell will be buried in St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, where he served as archbishop for 13 years before he moved to the Vatican.
• The date of his funeral is yet to be announced and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not said if he would attend.
• Those who worked with Cardinal George Pell said his death has left a void in Australia’s influence in the Vatican.
• A civil case launched by the father of a former choirboy who was allegedly sexually abused by Pell in Melbourne will continue after the cardinal’s death.
• There have been mixed reactions to Pell’s death. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called on the Victorian Labor Party to reflect on their “political persecution” of him. Maurice Blackburn lawyer John Rule, who has represented people abused by church clergy, said Pell would be remembered for “absolutely failing survivors of abuse and their families”.
• Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott called Pell’s incarceration a “modern form of crucifixion; reputationally at least a kind of living death” and said Australia had “lost a great son”.
• Abuse survivor Phil Nagle said his community wouldn’t be shedding tears over the death of Pell.
• You can read Barney Zwartz’s obituary here.
• And Ben Cubby’s article retracing Pell’s movements between his prison cell and the seminary.

Thank you and good night.

Vatican reporter Colm Flynn, who interviewed Pell for the BBC at length following his release from custody in Australia, says prison didn’t break the cardinal’s spirit.

Flynn told Melbourne radio station 3AW the 81-year-old kept up his spirits by sticking to a routine, writing letters, corresponding with friends, and watching religious TV.

The Irish journalist, who has interviewed and dined with Pell and his private secretary on several occasions over the years, said Pell maintained he was innocent and “the truth would come out”.

“There was one moment he said where he thought the appeal wouldn’t have been going through and that was when he felt really disheartened,” he said.

“He always knew he was innocent, and the truth would come out. And that’s what kept him going right until that High Court action.

“He had a warm and gentle side that most people didn’t get to see. Always quick with a word of encouragement and support.”

Take a look back at some of the key moments from the life of Cardinal George Pell, following his death, aged 81.

After attending a mass held for the late Cardinal George Pell at Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral on Wednesday, churchgoer Jeremy Ambrose said he was devastated at Pell’s death.

Ambrose said he would remember Pell as a warm and kind person and an inspirational leader. Ambrose came to the mass, presided over by Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli, to pray for Pell’s soul and for his family.

Ambrose, 38, of the Melbourne suburb of Glen Iris, but formerly from Sydney, said he was in a group of young Catholics Pell led on a pilgrimage to the World Youth Day in Germany in 2005 when Pell was Sydney Archbishop.

For 10 years after that, Ambrose worked for the Sydney Archdiocese as a pastoral worker in a university ministry and while he didn’t work closely with him, he found Pell was down to earth as a leader and a person. “He was someone who was always interested in what was happening on the ground and would always reach out and stay in contact”.

“I’ve always experienced him as kind, warm and generous,” said Ambrose, who is now a pastoral associate at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.

“He was a good leader who could recognise gifts in others. Even people he may not have agreed with on everything, he would offer them the respect they deserved, and was able to work with a large variety of people for the good of the church.”