Australian Cardinal George Pell Photo: CNS Australian Cardinal George Pell has exhorted the Irish youth to lead the Church, lest it continue to sink.
The cardinal, exonerated following a lengthy trial and imprisonment in his native country, addressed the young people of Ireland during an interview with EWTN’s Colm Flynn. Asked what he would say to them, he said: “I’d say to the young Irish people: the situation is very, very simple. A goodly percentage of you know how important Christ is, how important the Church is.
“The situation is very simple: either a number of you come forward to lead, or the whole show continues to sink. It won’t die, but continue to sink. So step up to the plate.”
Asked why young people should want to be part of the Catholic Church when all the coverage in Ireland has “dissolved away their hope and their faith”, Cardinal Pell answered:
“You’ve also got to look not just at the headlines and what the anti-religious press say, but look at the things we’ve done in history. Look at the contribution we’ve made to human welfare. It’s enormous, enormous. We also have a glorious history. See what Christ says, read what he says, have a look at the Gospels. He’s the person we’re following, not the ex-archbishop of Melbourne or Sydney.”
The cardinal expressed his optimism for a resurgence of the Catholic Faith in Ireland, saying “of course it will”, but not unless people “step up to the plate”.