With the sudden death of George Pell the Church has lost a remarkable and controversial voice. His last public appearance was as a concelebrant at Pope Benedict’s funeral on 5 January; he died of complications following what should have been a routine operation five days later.
Born during the Second World War in Ballarat, Victoria, Pell’s mother was a devout Catholic. His father was a non-practising Anglican, but he was also a publican. The young Pell’s experience of bar work in the Australian outback laid the foundations for his later social ease with people of all backgrounds – but also perhaps his distinctive robustness.
