Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has ruled out a state funeral or memorial service for Vatican leader Cardinal George Pell saying it would be “distressing” for survivors of sexual abuse.
Pell, formerly the archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney, died from heart complications in Rome on Jan. 10 following hip replacement surgery.
The 81-year-old gained notoriety in Australia after standing trial and being found guilty in 2017-18 for the alleged sexual abuse of two teenage choirboys in 1996. This verdict was later overturned by the country’s peak judicial body.
Premier Andrews said state funerals were normally offered to families, and in this case, there would be no offer from his government….