Pope’s condolence message on death of Cardinal Marco Ce of Venice

May 14, 2014: Pope Fr ncis praised the generosity and tireless dedication of the retired patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Marco Ce, who died at age 88 on Tuesday (May 12) in a hospital in Venice, Italy. The prelate had been recovering from a fractured femur after a fall a month earlier. In a condolence message to Archbishop Francesco Moraglia of Venice, Pope Francis described the late cardinal as a "meek and wise pastor" who offered his "generous service to the word of God" as well as his "fervid dedication to the carrying out of an authentic liturgical spirit."
A noted theologian and biblical scholar, Cardinal Ce used his free time after retiring as head of the church in Venice in 2002 to conduct retreats for bishops, priests, religious orders and lay groups. Retired Pope Benedict XVI had asked the cardinal lead his weeklong Lenten retreat in 2006 and afterward praised the cardinal's meditations. Pope Benedict told the cardinal, who had led the pope and other participants through the Gospel of Mark, "You have given us again the certainty that in our boat -- despite all of the storms of history -- Christ is there."
Born in 1925 near Cremona, in northern Italy, Cardinal Ce was ordained to the priesthood when he was 22 after receiving degrees in dogmatic theology and sacred Scripture. Pope Paul VI named him auxiliary bishop of Bologna in 1970. Eight years later, St. John Paul II named him to Venice, and several months later, the Polish pope made him a cardinal in 1979. Cardinal Ce led the patriarchate of Venice for 23 years. He was assigned there by a newly elected Pope John Paul II in 1978; the patriarchate had been vacant since its leader, Cardinal Albino Luciani, had been elected Pope John Paul I in August and died a month later. His death leaves the College of Cardinals with 215 members, 119 of whom are younger than 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave