From Pope Francis’ perspective as he said Mass at his private residence on April 7, his words reached few ears as congregants were not allowed due to the threat of the pandemic. Nevertheless, the pope prayed not just for those suffering from COVID-19, but also “for those serving unjust sentences.”
This prayer comes in the midst of the unprecedented “socially distant” Holy Week as well as the announcement of the acquittal of Australia’s Cardinal George Pell. Having been convicted in December 2018, Pell, 78, continually claimed innocence in the face of charges for child molestation. Anonymous accusations that are said to have lacked forensic evidence and sufficient witness statements triggered a high profile and polarizing police investigation on Pell, who served as the archbishop of Melbourne and the Vatican Treasurer. As the most senior cleric of the Catholic Church to be accused of child abuse, tensions ran high surrounding the case despite the “compounding improbabilities” of the accusation, making the case ever more difficult for the public to scrutinize in truth.
For many who followed the court proceedings, the Australian coordinator for the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, Steven Spanser, gave voice to sustained concerns when he said regarding the acquittal, “it started to look like this was not a fair deal, this was power, this was those who can influence using their influence.” Pell’s prominence gave rise to questions surrounding his personal priorities as he rose to power as well as the Church’s methods of management.
“My trial was not a referendum on the Catholic Church; nor a referendum on how Church authorities in Australia dealt with the crime of pedophilia in the Church,” Pell responded. “The point was whether I had committed these awful crimes, and I did not.”
Pope Francis responded at Mass to the decision of the Australian court by referring to Pell’s case indirectly, praying for those unjustly imprisoned “resulting from intransigence.” In a timely comparison to Jesus’ condemnation during this Holy Week, the pope reminded the world that “we have seen the persecution that Jesus suffered and how the doctors of the law raged against him and He was judged with intransigence, under intransigence, even though He was innocent.” This idea of upholding justice by reconciling with and understanding the accused, imprisoned, and condemned has been a recurring theme throughout Pope Francis’s pontificate.
Church officials echo Pope Francis’ sentiment as they call for greater reflection on the world’s justice systems and our dedication to the presumption of innocence. In a statement made after the court’s decision was announced, Pell said he holds “no ill will to my accuser … The only basis for long term healing is truth. The only basis for justice is truth.”
Featured image courtesy of Zenit.
Mary Rose is a Senior majoring in English and Perspectives and minoring in Management for Social Impact and Public Good. In addition to reading and writing, she enjoys bopping with the Full Swing dance team, working at the Church in the 21st Century Center, and leading projects for IATG: The Feminist Society of BC.
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