Video: Cardinal George Pell's funeral amid the protestors

It's not a question many people have had to worry about, but for the Bookallil family in Sydney they had to do it.

Greg and Vanessa Bookallil and their daughter Claire were among the mourners at Cardinal George Pell's funeral on Thursday.

Following the mass they spoke exclusively with ACM and reminisced about how they once had the late cardinal over to their house for dinner.

"We were at mass and we said to him 'would you like to come over for dinner one night' and of course he said yes," Mr Bookallil said.

"He didn't know us from a bar of soap."

Being a chef, Mr Bookallil wasn't stressed about what to cook for the cardinal, but admits he did a bit of research and discovered that "lamb was his thing".

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While lamb was on the menu, it's now been 10 years since the dinner and he can't remember what else he served up.

The family have fond memories of the night.

"He liked talking to people, just average family people," Mr Brookallil said of the cardinal.

Claire was just 11 years old when the cardinal came for dinner and said the uniqueness of the moment wasn't lost on her either.

"This is very special, once in a lifetime. I remember being quite amazed by him," she said.

Despite the clash between protestors and riot police at the funeral, the Brookallils said it didn't take away from the momentous occasion.

"They've got their opinion and they've got their right to express their opinion, I didn't mind," Mr Brookallil said.

"There are obviously some very prickly issues that people find hard. When people talk about Pell there's a lot there and I can understand that."