Pope lauds Cardinal Laghi’s service to entire Church

(Jan.13,2009): “The entire priestly mission of Cardinal Pio Laghi was devoted to the service of the Holy See”, said Pope Benedict XVI in his homily during the funeral Mass celebrated Tuesday morning in St. Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Angelo Sodano – the Dean of the College of Cardinals. 85-year-old Cardinal Laghi passed away Sat. evening (10 Jan) in a Rome hospital after a long illness. In his homily, Pope Benedict gave a brief history of Cardinal Laghi ‘s life, noting even his spiritual testament of last Nov. 14 where Cardinal Laghi wrote: -“I offer to God again my life for the Church, the Holy Father and the sanctification of my brothers in the priesthood”.
The Pope recalled the special missions that were entrusted to late Cardinal Laghi, particularly in May 2001 at Israel and the Palestinian authority, to deliver an autographed papal message to encourage the parties to an early cease-fire and resumption of dialogue; and two years later in March 2003, his mission as a special envoy to Washington to give US President Bush a papal message to show the initiatives taken by the Holy See to contribute to peace and disarmament in the Middle East. In a statement released by the White House Jan. 11, President Bush offered his condolences to Pope Benedict and to all Catholics. Cardinal Laghi was a friend, who in his more than 60 years of service to the Catholic Church, worked tirelessly for peace and justice in our world” Bush said. Cardinal Laghi always strove to unite people of all religions and promote reconciliation, religious freedom and tolerance., “ Bush added.
In his homily, the Pope also offered his heartfelt sympathy to all those who mourn the loss of Cardinal Laghi. Earlier on Monday in a telegram to Cardinal Laghi’s nephews Pope Benedict recalled “his long and generous service to the Holy See, in particular as a pontifical representative in various countries and as the Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education”. The Pope concluded his homily giving thanks to God for the gift of a brother and friend and for all the good that Cardinal Laghi did in his various pastoral and diplomatic activities and prayed that Cardinal Laghi will participate in God’s heavenly banquet..