CARDINAL BAUM CELEBRATES 50 YEARS AS A PRIEST

VATICAN CITY, MAY 11, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from Pope John Paul to Cardinal William Wakefield Baum, major penitentiary, who tomorrow will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. It was written in Latin and is dated April 6.

Cardinal Baum was born in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. in 1926. He was ordained a priest on May 12, 1951, for the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and was ordained a bishop on February 18, 1970. He is archbishop emeritus of Washington. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Paul VI in the consistory of May 24, 1976. Since April 6, 1990 he has been major penitentiary.

The cardinal is a member of the following; the Council of the Second Section of the Secretariat of State; the Congregations for Oriental Churches, for the Evangelization of Peoples and for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

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