Vatican holds funeral for cardinal who branded Francis’ papacy ‘catastrophic’

Pope Francis leaves after the funeral ceremony for Australian Cardinal George Pell (AP)

The Australian cardinal who branded the papacy of Pope Francis as a “catastrophe” has been given a funeral in St Peter’s Basilica, with the pontiff imparting a final blessing for the once high-ranking Vatican prelate.

Cardinal George Pell, 81, died on January 10, shortly after undergoing hip surgery in a Rome hospital.