Pope Benedict XVI said Cardinal Alfons Stickler, who died Dec. 12 at the age of 97, used his "gifts of mind and heart" to serve the church.The Austrian, who was the world's oldest living cardinal, died in Rome. The cause of death was not announced.
Pope Benedict was scheduled to celebrate his funeral Mass Dec. 14 in St. Peter's Basilica.
In a telegram of condolence to the cardinal's surviving brother and three sisters, Pope Benedict spoke of the cardinal's "many years of sincere and industrious collaboration with the Holy See," particularly his years as prefect of the Vatican Library and the Vatican Secret Archives.
In a separate telegram to the superior general of the Salesians, the religious order to which Cardinal Stickler belonged for 80 years, the pope said that, "with profound gratitude, I remember the gifts of mind and heart" of the cardinal.
The pope praised the cardinal especially for his service to the church during his years as a professor and then rector, 1958-66, of the Pontifical Salesian University in Turin, Italy.
Born in Neunkirchen, Austria, Aug. 23, 1910, he was the second of 12 children. He entered the Salesians in 1927 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1937.
He held a doctorate in canon law and served as an expert during the Second Vatican Council.
In 1971, Pope Paul VI named him director of the Vatican Library. In 1984, Pope John Paul II named him prefect of the library and the Vatican Secret Archives and inducted him into the College of Cardinals in 1985. The cardinal retired in 1988.
His death leaves the college with 200 members, 120 of whom are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce