Cloud hangs over funeral

THE timeline for the late George Cardinal Pell’s Sydney funeral has been thrown into disarray by distance and scheduling difficulties as it was revealed on Thursday that NSW had joined Victoria in declining to offer a state memorial service.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet acknowledged Pell’s death, saying it would have left “many ... shocked and saddened”. “This will be a difficult day for people across our state and country, for those of Catholic faith and for many others,” he said. “My thoughts and condolences for all those people mourning Cardinal Pell’s passing .... ”

News Corp understands there will not be a state memorial for Pell in NSW. It comes after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he “couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors”.

News Corp understands the decision not to offer a state memorial service to the Pell family was made for a variety of reasons. One source suggested aside from the political controversy such a move might attract, a state memorial for a deceased cleric could raise issues of church-state separation.

Sydneysiders hoping to pay their respects to Pell are none the wiser as to what arrangements will be made for them before he is laid to rest in the crypt beneath St Mary’s Cathedral.

A requiem mass for Pell was due to be held at the Vatican on Friday, Rome time, but this has been delayed until at least Monday to allow Australian mourners time to make the trip to Europe.

While Pope Francis would normally conduct such a mass himself, his own declining health means he is most likely to take a supervisory role as he did at the funeral of Emeritus Pope Benedict earlier this month.