Cardinal Pell: Faithful Servant

Cardinal George Pell died on Tuesday, aged 81, after suffering heart complications from a hip replacement. His legacy is a mixed one. It oughtn’t be. There is strong evidence of his faithfulness and personal integrity, and very little evidence in support of the charges against him. Still, the nature of calumny is that when mud is thrown, it sticks.

George Arthur Pell was born in 1941 in Ballarat, Victoria. As a young man, he was a talented sportsman. In 1959, the Richmond Football Club offered him a position, which he turned down to join the seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1966, a bishop in 1987, and a cardinal in 2003.

About the Author

Madeleine Kearns

Madeleine Kearns is a former staff writer at National Review.

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Cardinal George Pell died on Tuesday, aged 81, after suffering heart complications from a hip replacement. His legacy is a mixed one. It oughtn’t be. There is strong evidence of his faithfulness and personal integrity, and very little evidence in support of the charges against him. Still, the nature of calumny is that when mud is thrown, it sticks.

George Arthur Pell was born in 1941 in Ballarat, Victoria. As a young man, he was a talented sportsman. In 1959, the Richmond Football Club offered him a position, which he turned down to join the seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1966, a bishop in 1987, and a cardinal in 2003.