JOHN PAUL II PRESIDES FUNERAL MASS FOR CARDINAL FAGIOLO

VATICAN CITY, SEP 26, 2000 (VIS) - At 10 this morning in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul presided over the funeral Mass for Cardinal Vincenzo Fagiolo, who died Friday, September 22, at the age of 82. He was the president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts.

In his homily, the Pope said that the "dear and venerated Cardinal Fagiolo ... belonged, we think, to the great numbers of those 'who did good,' and for this we trust that he now awaits to be called by the voice of Christ to 'the resurrection of life'."

"At this time," he said, "it pleases me to remember the late lamented cardinal as a 'master of justice'. The study and teaching of canon law was a constant during his life. ... Educating to true justice, the justice of Christ, this was the ministry that Cardinal Fagiolo exercised throughout his life."

The Holy Father observed that "Cardinal Vincenzo Fagiolo fell asleep in the Lord precisely during the Jubilee Year, after having lived a considerable part of it. This was surely a comfort to him on the last part of his path towards the encounter with Christ."

In closing, the Pope said; "The Father wished for the Son to give eternal life to all those who believed in Him and to raise them on the last day. ... This luminous Gospel truth comforts us every time that we say our final goodbye to a deceased brother."

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