Pope pays tribute to "zealous" cardinal

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a telegram of condolence to the sister of Italian Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, a “zealous pastor” who died on Sunday at the age of 92.

The message praised the Cardinal for his work as a papal nuncio in several countries and his efforts to restore a “spiritual vitality” and “a new zeal” at the Papal Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, where he was archpriest from 2005-2009.

Pope Francis said Cardinal Montezemolo was a “revered man of the Church, who lived with fidelity his long and fruitful priesthood and episcopate in the service of the Gospel and the Holy See.”

During his work in the pontifical representations to Papua New Guinea, Nicaragua, Honduras, Uruguay, Israel and Italy, he “devoted himself with wisdom to the good of those populations.”

The Pope added that the Cardinal’s work at St Paul’s Outside the Walls showed an “intense and competent commitment” particularly in the pastoral, organizational, and artistic-cultural areas.

At the end of the message sent to Marquise Adriana Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, Pope Francis promised prayers for the repose of her brother’s soul and sent his Apostolic Blessing to all who mourn the Cardinal’s passing.

Please find the tellegram in full below:

MARQUISE ADRIANA CORDERO LANZA DI MONTEZEMOLO

THE DEPARTURE OF YOUR DEAR BROTHER, THE VENERABLE CARDINAL ANDREA CORDERO LANZA DI MONTEZEMOLO, INSPIRES IN MY HEART SENTIMENTS OF SINCERE ADMIRATION FOR A REVERED MAN OF THE CHURCH, WHO LIVED WITH FIDELITY HIS LONG AND FRUITFUL PRIESTHOOD AND EPISCOPATE IN THE SERVICE OF THE GOSPEL AND THE HOLY SEE. I REMEMBER WITH GRATITUDE HIS GENEROUS WORK IN THE PONTIFICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, NICARAGUA, HONDURAS, URUGUAY, ISRAEL AND ITALY, WHERE HE DEVOTED HIMSELF WITH WISDOM TO THE GOOD OF THOSE POPULATIONS. AS ARCHPRIEST OF THE PAPAL BASILICA OF SAINT PAUL OUTSIDE-THE-WALLS, HE GAVE THE WITNESS OF A PARTICULARLY INTENSE AND COMPETENT COMMITMENT BOTH FROM A PASTORAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL, AND AN ARTISTIC-CULTURAL POINT OF VIEW, ENDEAVOURING TO RESTORE SPIRITUAL VITALITY TO THE ENTIRE COMPLEX AND NEW ZEAL TO THE ECUMENICAL VOCATION OF THAT PLACE OF WORSHIP. I RAISE FERVENT PRAYERS FOR HIS REPOSE, SO THAT BY THE INTERCESSION OF THE VIRGIN MARY AND THE APOSTLE OF THE PEOPLE, THE LORD MAY RECEIVE THE DEPARTED CARDINAL IN HIS ETERNAL JOY AND PEACE, AND I SEND MY APOSTOLIC BLESSING TO YOU AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, AND TO THOSE WHO MOURN THE PASSING OF THIS ZEALOUS PASTOR.