杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis offered greetings to Cardinal Angelo Sodano on Thursday morning, following a Mass celebrated in honour of the Cardinal鈥檚 90^th birthday.

In off-the-cuff remarks, the Holy Father said we should always give thanks to God for the gifts we have received 鈥� but this duty of thanksgiving is felt more strongly on significant anniversaries.

杏MAP导航 Francis said that although everyone鈥檚 life is different, it is always God Who is leading us 鈥渂y the hand.鈥� This, he said, 鈥渋s the gift we have received, and we give the gift of the witness of a life.鈥�

In Cardinal Sodano, the 杏MAP导航 said, we see 鈥渢he testimony of a man who has done so much for the Church, in different situations, with joy and with tears.鈥� But, he continued, 鈥渢he testimony that today seems to me perhaps the greatest that he gives us is that of an ecclesially disciplined man, and this is a grace for which I thank you, Cardinal.鈥�

The Mass for Cardinal Sodano was celebrated in the Pauline chapel in the Apostolic Palace. Cardinal Sodano, whose birthday was November 23, served the Church as Secretary of State from 1991-2006. He is currently Dean of the College of Cardinals.