The smile with which Card. George Pell greeted us in his apartment in Rome reflects his mood well. No one would guess that just a few months ago, he was in prison, wrongly accused of crimes he didn't commit. His 404 days in jail helped him reinforce an idea.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
Former Prefect, Secretariat for the Economy (Vatican)
“The Christian package works. Jesus' teachings are true and bear fruit and give life, give you strength. The importance of forgiveness, of struggling to forgive, is good for peace of heart and peace of mind.”
They have been very difficult months. The 79-year-old cardinal never imagined he could be declared guilty while innocent, and based on only a single testimony against him.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
Former Prefect, Secretariat for the Economy (Vatican)
“I was quite incredulous initially because I never believed that would happen, and not just my people, but many independent lawyers also told me. The case that was referred to the judges, I thought, was ridiculous. Totally implausible e in a great cathedral.”
He recounts that in prison, in an isolated cell, he followed a daily routine. He would pray, exercise, read and watch TV. He found a lot of solace in reading the 4,000 letters he received.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
Former Prefect, Secretariat for the Economy (Vatican)
“I tried to write to all the prisoners, respond to all the prisoners, and hardly anybody else. One or two others I replied to. But with my monthly allowance of $140, with which you had to pay the phone, for example, I didn't have enough money to buy the Australian newspaper every day. So I never would have had enough money to reply to 4,000 people with envelopes and paper and stamps.”
He assures that in those difficult moments, he received support from the archbishop of Sydney, his family and two very special people.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
Former Prefect, Secretariat for the Economy
“Pope Francis supported me strongly through all these troubles. I had a very pleasant meeting with him, and I'm very grateful for his support and for the support of Pope Benedict.”
Throughout this entire experience, Card. Pell doesn't stop hoping that the whole truth will be discovered. Some people suspect that someone who opposed the work of the cardinal in the Vatican could have sent money so he would be tried for abuses in Australia.
CARD. GEORGE PELL
Former Prefect, Secretariat for the Economy (Vatican)
“I think it is that truth is the child of time or truth is the daughter of time. So give us time, and we will be a bit better informed on that.”
During his months in prions, he kept a journal, which he has just decided to make public. He says it helped him get through these challenges and hopes it can help others make sense of suffering.
AO
Translation: CT
