Archbishop of Sydney

Duty

By + George Pell
ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY
14 April 2002

Constable Glenn McEnallay, 26 years of age, was buried from St. John's Anglican Church in Taree in a ceremony attended by 400 police officers from around Australia, U.S.A. And New Zealand.

Most of us never knew of him until his sudden death, but the town of Taree stopped, crowds lined the streets as well as the thin blue line of grieving police, and blue ribbons were visible all over the state on buildings and individuals.

Glenn's fiancée Amanda paid him a beautiful tribute; someone she loved who was an "ethical and courageous policeman". They were soon to be married and had even chosen four names for their children. All that promise was destroyed.

The constable was shot three times, "doing the right thing, trying to protect us" as he followed a suspected stolen car. The murder was so unexpected and disproportionate; the most he might have expected was a bit of a chase or perhaps a punch on the nose.

It showed once again the dangers that police regularly face in doing their duty. We should not take their work for granted; more so today where the after-effects of drugs have driven up the crime rate and distorted peoples' reactions and perceptions.

Good, brave and just police (as they are overwhelmingly) are an immense benefit to our communities. When a policeman proves to be bad, the public feels betrayed as they do with a bad priest or a bad schoolteacher.

The second funeral service was in Westminster Abbey, London, for Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Her long life of 101 years had seen immense changes, the disappearance of the British Empire, two World Wars and the emergence of a united Australia from a collection of colonies.

She came from a Scottish background of wealth and privilege and lived a life of considerable comfort. Few begrudged her this, although the customary knockers and nasties worked hard to bring her down to their own level when the news of her death was announced.

There were predictions that few would turn out for her farewell.

a was not surprised that hundreds of thousands paid their respects at a magnificent funeral and millions watched. The English people might be a bit undemonstrative, but they are loyal, have long memories and are grateful for a job well done.

More than that she had been Queen of England at the finest hour in British history, when the British Commonwealth had stood alone against the Nazis, and she was there as the Allies fought to victory in Europe and the Pacific. Hitler paid her the ultimate compliment as "the most dangerous woman in Europe". In farewelling her with such affection and pageantry the English were only doing their duty.

The Queen Mother was a woman of dignity and good humour. She lived an ordered private life. She knew much adversity and suffering. Most family failings remain private, but this is not a privilege allowed to the Royals. All this did not sour her.

We don't need a bill of rights. Perhaps we could do with a Bill of Duties, but we certainly need exemplars who do their duty like Glenn McEnallay and Elizabeth Windsor.