Pio Cardinal Laghi, US-Vatican diplomat, dies

The news:

In this March 5, 2003 file photo President Bush welcomes Cardinal Pio Laghi, Pope John Paul II's envoy, left, during a meeting on the looming war with Iraq, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. Cardinal Pio Laghi, a longtime Vatican diplomat who went to Washington in 2003 to personally try to dissuade President George Bush from launching the Iraq war, died in the evening of Saturday Jan. 10, 2009 in Rome, the Vatican said Sunday, Jan 11, 2009. He was 86. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Bush has released a statement of condolance. More from the AP:

The Italian-born Laghi had a long career in the Vatican diplomatic corps, serving first in Nicaragua in 1952. He was dispatched to India, Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, Cyprus, Greece and Argentina before being named envoy to Washington in 1980.

At the time, there were no formal diplomatic relations between the United States and the Holy See; Laghi oversaw the establishment of ties in 1984 and remained as the Vatican's permanent diplomatic representative there until he was recalled to Rome to serve as prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education.

Prayers for the repose of his soul.

Prayers: Venezuelan Cardinal Castillo Lara passed-away today

Following reports several days ago that Cardinal Castillo Lara was in "critical condition" comes that sad news that he passed away today at the age of eighty-five:

Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara, a longtime Vatican official and a leading critic of Venezuela's Preident Hugo Chavez, died on October 16 at the age of 85.

The Venezuelan prelate, who was living in retirement in his native country, was hospitalized in September with severe cardiac problems. He died as the country's bishops were gathering for a scheduled meeting in Caracas.

[More from CWNews here.]

Cardinal Castillo Lara is best known for his enormous help in the revision process of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, and for his vocal criticism of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.

The Death notice on the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church Biographies website:

Death. October 16, 2007, in the morning, in "Centro Médico de Caracas", Venezuela, where he had been hospitalized since September 19, 2007, due to an acute respiratory deficiency. The body of the cardinal is exposed in the church "Don Bosco", Altamira, Caracas, and it is possible that it will be transferred to the state of Aragua, where he was born. The exequies will last for three days.

More coverage:

• Associated Press
• El Universal: "Cardinal Castillo Lara is to remain in Venezuelans' memory as a great bishop and as the Venezuelan who has occupied the highest positions in the world church"

Mark your calendar, Colorado!

Cardinal Arinze is coming to Colorado Springs on the 19th of this month!

51 Archbishops to receive their Pallium in Rome on Friday

Here is the list of those receiving a Pallium in Rome this Friday. The list includes only one Archbishop from America, the recently appointed Joseph Kurtz of Louisville [blogged about here].