Holy Father expresses grief over death of 101-year-old Cardinal Bafile

Vatican City, Feb 3, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Upon learning of the death of 101-year-old Cardinal Corrado Bafile yesterday, the Holy Father sent a telegram to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals conveying his sadness.

Pope John Paul II said in the telegram that, "having learnt the sad news of the death of the venerable Cardinal Corrado Bafile, I wish to express to you and to the entire College of Cardinals my sadness for the demise of this dear brother who spent his whole life for the cause of the Gospel, for the good of the Church and in the service of the Holy See.”

“With profound gratitude”, he continued, “I recall his long and generous commitment - first in the Secretariat of State, then as an energetic and competent pontifical representative, and finally as a zealous and esteemed prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints - and I join the common prayer which, in the light of faith in the resurrection, is raised for the repose of the soul of the dear departed cardinal.”

And, as I invoke the well-deserved heavenly reward promised to His good and faithful servants by the One Who gives all goodness, I send to you, to the cardinals, to the late cardinal's relatives, and to all those who participate in the mourning, a comforting apostolic blessing."

Tomorrow at 11 a.m., Cardinal Ratzinger will preside at the funeral Mass of Cardinal Bafile in St. Peter’s Basilica.