POPE MOURNS THE DEATH OF CANADIAN CARDINAL
TO CARDINAL JEAN-CLAUDE TURCOTTE
ARCHBISHOP OF MONTRÉAL
MONTRÉAL
HAVING LEARNED SORROWFULLY OF THE DEATH OF CARDINAL EDOUARD GAGONG, P.S.S., EMERITUS PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL AND OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMITTEE FOR EUCHARISTIC CONGRESES, I UNITE MYSELF IN PRAYER WITH THE CHURCH OF CANADA, WITH THE FAMILY OF THE DECEASED AND ALL PERSONS AFFECTED BY THIS LOSS.
I ENTRUST TO THE RESURRECTED CHRIST THIS FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE CHURCH WHO, WITH COMPETENCE AND DEVOTION, NOTABLY CONSECRATED HIS MINISTRY TO THE FORMATION OF PRIESTS BEFORE DEDICATING HIMSELF GENEROUSLY FOR MANY YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF THE HOLY SEE. MAY THE LORD RECEIVE HIM INTO THE PEACE AND LIGHT OF HIS KINGDOM!
AS A TOKEN OF CONSOLATION, I IMPART THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING TO YOU, TO THE BISHOPS OF CANADA, THE SULPICIAN COLLEAGUES OF CARDINAL GAGNON, THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, AND EVERYONE WHO TAKES PART IN THE FINAL LITURGICAL OBSEQUIES.
BENEDICTUS PP XVI
TO REVEREND FR. LAWRENCE B. TERRIEN
SUPERIOR-GENERAL
ORDER OF THE PRIESTS OF ST. SULPICE
PARIS
HAVING LEARNED WITH SORROW OF THE DEATH OF CARDINAL ÉDOUARD GAGNON, P.S.S., I PRAY TO GOD TO WELCOME BESIDE HIM THIS FAITHFUL PASTOR, WHO WITH EVANGELICAL SPIRIT, CONSECRATED HIS LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, GIVING HIMSELF ZEALOUSLY TO THE FORMATION OF PRIESTS AS WELL AS TO THE MINISTRIES ENTRUSTED TO HIM BY THE APOSTOLIC SEE.
AS A TOKEN OF CONSOLATION, I IMPART THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING ON YOU AND ALL THE SULPICIAN COLLEAGUES OF CARDINAL GAGNON.
BENEDICTUS PP XVI
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P.S. The AP story has some additional info about Cardinal Gagnon.
Canadian cardinal, 89,
dies in Montreal;
Pope sends condolences
VATICAN CITY, Aug. 27 (AP): Cardinal Edouard Gagnon, a Canadian-born former Vatican official who tried decades ago to resolve the case of a renegade archbishop, has died in Montreal, the Holy See said Monday. He was 89.
Pope Benedict XVI sent his condolences in a telegram to Montreal Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte. Gagnon died sometime in the night between Saturday and Sunday, the Vatican said. No cause of death was given.
Gagnon had been appointed by Pope Paul VI in 1973 to lead the Vatican's office dealing with family matters, a post he held for many years.
Pope John Paul II made Gagnon a cardinal in 1985.
Three years later, John Paul gave Gagnon a delicate task — try to resolve the case of rebel Archbishop Marcel Lefebrve, a French-born prelate who split with the Vatican over modernizing reforms and who was excommunicated in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops without Rome's consent.
The current pope, Benedict, has indicated he wants to normalize relations with the followers of Lefebrve, who died in 1991.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 28/08/2007 22:20]