First of major Melbourne memorial masses for George Pell to be held on Monday, January 23

The first of three major memorial masses for Cardinal George Pell in Melbourne will be held on Monday night, January 23.

Australian Cardinal George Pell pictured in Rome. Pictured: CNS

The first of three major memorial masses for Cardinal George Pell in Melbourne will be held on Monday night, January 23.

The cardinal’s close friend, former student and former Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Charles Portelli, will lead a Requiem Mass at Saint Mary MacKillop church, Keilor Downs, at 7pm, featuring French composer Gabriel Fauré’s requiem, written in the late 1800s. It focuses on themes of consolation and eternal rest.

Parish Priest of Keilor Downs and George Pell’s close friend, Monsignor Charles Portelli, will lead a Requiem Mass for the Cardinal. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Cardinal Pell was deeply fond of the exquisitely decorated parish church, designed and decorated by Monsignor Portelli, who also oversaw the creation of the chapel of Domus Australia in Rome and the restoration of the Melbourne seminary chapel in Carlton.

Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli will lead a Memorial Mass for the Repose of Cardinal Pell’s soul at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday 3 February at 6.30pm, the day after Cardinal Pell’s funeral in Sydney.

And on Saturday, February 11, Father Glen Tattersall, parish priest of Melbourne’s Traditional Latin Mass Newman parish will lead Matins for the Dead at 9am and offer a Solemn Requiem Mass for the cardinal at 11.30am at St Aloysius’ Church, Caulfield North, featuring the music of Spanish Renaissance composer Cristobal de Morales.