Tension rose outside St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney as protesters clashed with the Catholic faithful during the solemn funeral of Catholic Cardinal George Pell.
As the casket of the conservative former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney was carried outside the cathedral for the public procession to his burial crypt, some protesters cried “shame” and played Highway to Hell from a portable speaker.
Hundreds of mourners sang hymns outside the church, watched the funeral service streamed on the large screen, and stood quietly when listening to the eulogies.
At the same time, about 200 demonstrators marched from Hyde Park, which is opposite the cathedral on College Street, towards Oxford Street, holding signs carrying disparaging messages such as “Infernal Lasting Peace.” The march was organised by the campaign group Community Action for Rainbow Rights.
Police appeared in force, made at least two arrests, and separated two of Pell’s mourners and detractors with temporary fencing.
Theresa Guzzo, who flew from New Zealand to attend the service, said she was opposed to the presence of protesters. She said Cardinal Pell had become a “scapegoat” as a result of the anti-church sentiment.
“For me, it’s just inappropriate to do your protesting at the funeral where we’re saying goodbye to him, no matter what your belief is,” Guzzo said, AAP reported.
She said she initially “strongly” believed allegations of child abuse against Cardinal Pell, but not after he was cleared by the High Court and she reviewed the evidence.
Kim Stern, the organiser for LGBTIQ+ group Community Action for Rainbow Rights, said they opposed “everything George Pell stood for”.
Meanwhile, protester Terry Cutcliffe argued pedophilia at the Catholic school he attended was covered up by the church and was against the decision to hold a public funeral for Cardinal Pell.
“I think the protest has been appropriate. I thought there might even be more people because there are certainly a lot of victims of the Catholic Church,” Cutcliffe told AAP.
Cardinal Pell will be buried in a private ceremony in the St Mary’s Cathedral crypt, alongside other senior figures in the Catholic Church in Australia.
Former Prime Ministers Attended The Funeral
The funeral saw 1,000 mourners attending, including high-profile politicians such as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, former prime minister John Howard and former Macquarie CEO Nicholas Moore.Former PM Tony Abbott praised Pell as a saint and described Pell’s child sexual abuse allegations and his defamation in the media as “modern-day crucifixion.” He added that the conservative archbishop should not have been investigated, charged and convicted.
“He should not have been charged in the absence of corroborating evidence and should never have been convicted in the absence of a plausible case, as the High Court so resoundingly made plain,” Abbott said.
“As I heard the chant ‘Cardinal Pell should go to hell,’ I thought, ‘Aha. At least, they now believe in the afterlife.’ Perhaps this is Saint George Pell’s first miracle.”
“The ultimately triumphant life of this soldier for truth to advance through smear and doubt to victory should drive a renewable of confidence throughout the Universal Church.”
Pell, the former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney, was being farewelled after he died from complications following hip surgery in Rome in January. He was 81.
The Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, said Pell described his own 404 days in jail as an “extended spiritual retreat”.
“[He was] imprisoned for crimes he did not commit, following a media, police and political campaign to punish him, whether guilty or not,” Fisher said.
“Even after he was unanimously exonerated by the High Court of Australia, some continued to demonise him. But many appreciate the legacy of this most influential churchman in our nation’s history.”
Neither New South Wales (NSW) Premier Dominic Perrottet nor NSW Labor leader Chris Minns attended the funeral service.
