After reading Volume 1, I knew the routine of Volume 2. This is prison, after all. I don't think Cardinal Pell has to worry about being institutionalized, the prison life would be enjoyable if it were freely chosen. It's a retreat to get closer to God.

Cardinal Pell amazes me in that his first impulse was to pray for people. There're screamers and bangers, even the inmate who spit on him, he interiorly lifts them up to God. Who does that? Of course everyone does that eventually, but that's not a knee-jerk reaction. The cardinal is still upbeat and expects the truth will eventually win. Not only is his faith strong, so is his compassion. He has never said anything bad about the guards, or the judges, the juries, and even his accuser.

In Volume II, the cardinal is beginning to suspect that he was set up. His job in Rome led him to get closer to finding the stench in Vatican Banking. Having him accused of sex crimes, certainly got him out of the way. We'll have to read Volume 3, to see what happens.

God's Sins

 The attributes for this story are complicated, so let me get the story straight, first.

Rabbi Ben Esra, (17th century) noticed one of his congregants gesticulating angrily while praying.  The rabbi asked was going on.  The congregant explained that he was telling God that he was a sinner who sometimes mistreated his wife and children (but God knew what they were like), occasionally cheated a bit in his business, and told the odd lie.  However, he went on and told God that his sins were worse, as God allowed earthquakes droughts, storms, wars, and more.  Finally he explained to God that they should strike a deal.  He would forgive God's sins if God forgave his.  What did the rabbi think of this?

The rabbi paused to think.

Finally, the rabbi said he was surprised that his friend had let God off so lightly.  He should have insisted that God send a Messiah and effect redemption for all he had done.

*I read this story as related in Volume II of Cardinal Pell's Prison Journal and he was relating the story from Father Tony Kerin's homily on Mass for You at Home program on Australian TV.

Father Anthony Kerin

What is God Up To?

 Many a time I wanted to write to imprisoned Cardinal Pell.  I didn't.  My excuse was that I didn't have his address.  Now that I've read his Prison Journal Volume 1, I really, really, really wish that I had written to him.  He received letters from all over the world, from prisoners, from priests, from lay people, children, etc. If they could find an address for him, then I could have.  I didn't even try.  

He's out of prison now and living in Rome.  I may write to him, yet.  I wanted to tell him about the Apostle to Prisoners, Pere M. Jean-Joseph Lataste, OP.; how he taught women prisoners to think they were cloistered nuns who lived a yof prayer and work. This is exactly how Cardinal Pell survived his 13 months in solitary confinement. 

The cardinal was convicted on hearsay.  There was no evidence for the alleged crime.  And that hearsay was inconsistent.  There were no witnesses and no corroborating physical proof.  Cardinal Pell was convicted because of anti-Catholic sentiment.  This occurred in Australia, where Cardinal Pell was Bishop of Melbourne.  But like the US justice system, Australian law prosecutes according to the defendant being innocent, until proven guilty.  This is especially true when "beyond a reasonable doubt" had to be proved.

The guilty verdict was a shock.  It was impossible for any crime to have been committed.  While waiting for appeal, Cardinal Pell was in solitary confinement, for his own safety.  The anti-Catholic sentiment was poisonous.  Through it all, Cardinal Pell lived a purposefully peaceful, calm routine, ending each day by writing in a journal.  This is the book; a prison journal.

The journal shows how the Cardinal's reliance on God's plan gave him peace.  He knew God was in charge, he didn't know how or what He was up to.  Cardinal Pell forgave his accusers, his detractors, and prayed for everyone.   He set up a routine, like a monk.

5:00 Alarm, medicine, watch Mass on TV.

Breakfast, prayer, exercise, rosary.

Reading, writing or some communication with friends and relatives.

Lunch, prayer, reading,

Exercise, visits.

Supper, prayer, reading TV.

He could not say Mass but he received Communion once a week from Sister Mary who always stayed a while to chat.  He enjoyed watching his favorite sports teams and discussing plays with friends. He was always in contact with his legal team and relatives.

He read and answered the letters.  He enjoyed the letters from fellow prisoners the most.  He took his time reading War and Peace and meditations.  On Sundays, he watched Mass on TV and a couple of evangelists, whom he critiqued.  He loved listening to hymns.

He received very adequate medical attention.  He had nothing but praise for the prison guards, who he said must have the patience of saints because some of the prisoners in his unit were obviously mentally ill; they constantly banged on their bars, kicked their doors, and yelled and shouted.

The food was more than enough, but not hot enough.  Some of it he liked and some he didn't.  

All in all, it was like being on retreat, except for the surroundings.  Oh, he also, wasn't free to leave.  And hanging over him was a cloud of dishonor, humiliation, and disgrace.  But knowing he wasn't guilty and trust in the Lord, helped him not to despair.  

I can tell they'll be a Volume II because the book ends with Cardinal Pell still in jail.  I hope it will be as good a read as Volume I.

Redemptive Suffering

 This isn't a book review.  I'm only on week two.  I'm reading George Cardinal Pell Prison Journal, Volume 1.  Pell writes every night about his day.  Every entry ends with a  short extemporaneous prayer.  That's what I'm posting about.  I'm amazed that his prayer isn't screaming at God, "Get me outta here!"  Instead, he prays for others, especially his accuser; the men screaming at night, his guards, the people who pray for him, etc.  Rarely does he pray for himself.  I'm impressed with his peace and sense of humor.  Yes, his writing his astute and sometimes his descriptions make me laugh.  Here's his first day prayer:

God our Father, give me strength to come through this, and may my suffering be united with your Son Jesus' redemption for the spread of the Kingdom, the healing of all the victims of this scourge of paedophilia, the faith and well-being of our Church, and especially for the wisdom and courage of the bishops, who have to lead us out of the dark shadows into the light of Christ.

One more:

God our Father, I pray for those caught up in the bushfires in Gippsland; and for all those jailed in this prison, some of them desperately unhappy, some without faith and hope.  I pray, too, for all the prison staff, that the courtesy and decency shown to me may be the norm and that they will refuse to sink toward the violence, anger, and hatred of the worst of the prisoners.

Psalm 22 and Cardinal Pell

Cardinal George Pell

The Office of Readings this morning had Psalm 22 for a Good Friday reading.  An image of Cardinal Pell could very well apply.  Of course, this psalm is referring to Jesus but isn't Pell surrounded by bulls and dogs (enemies).

Many bulls have surrounded me...

Many dogs have surrounded me...

All who see me deride me.

The Cardinal as he now walks free can hear, "Pell rot in hell."  He must pray:

O Lord, do not leave me alone,
my strength, make haste to help me!

Thanks be to God that he is free now to:

I will tell of your name to my brethren
and praise you where they are assembled.

Guilty or Not Game

In three weeks Cardinal Pell will be in court, again.  I'm praying for a more favorable outcome.  It's beyond my wildest imagination how any reasonable person could think him guilty.  But they did.  And I still think the accusations stem from Pell's getting too close to cleaning out the Vatican finance mess.  Those with dirty hands just had to whisper, "Pell's a sexual abuser" to authorities, and in today's climate, Pell was removed from his position working on the Vatican finances and kept busy defending himself, very busy. 

May the truth prevail.  Click on this link to read more.  

There's Little Justice Here

It's no news to anyone has listened to or read my blog, that there is little justice here on earth.  We have to wait for divine justice.  The case in point is Cardinal George's case.  He was accused of crimes that anyone who knows the atmosphere in a sacristry before and after Mass, and anyone who knows what the Mass celebrant wears, would never believe.  The accusations are impossible to have occurred. 

The anti-Catholic hype poisoned the minds of the jurors.  The cardinal is a scape-goat.  This article by George Weigel says it all.