On Tuesday the Vatican announced that Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, Archbishop Emeritus of Bologna, has died at the age of 79. He was known for pastoral and academic work in support of marriage and families, especially through the founding of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family.
No details regarding the late prelate's death were included in the Sept. 6 announcement of his passing. However, his death comes almost exactly two months after that of Caffar[r]a's friend and collaborator, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, who passed away "at the age of 83" [2] July 5 while on vacation in Bad Füssing, Germany.
Cardinals Caffar[r]a and Meisner were among the four cardinals who penned a letter with five “dubia,” or questions, about the interpretation of Amoris laetitia to Pope Francis, requesting that he “resolve the uncertainties and bring clarity.”
Signed by Cardinals Caffarra, Meisner, Walter Brandmüller, and Raymond Burke, the letter was sent to Pope Francis privately on Sept. 19, 2016, but was released to the public two months later.
The four cardinals believed themselves obliged to submit the dubia because of “the fact – which only a blind man could deny – that in the Church there exists great confusion, uncertainty, insecurity caused by some paragraphs of Amoris laetitia,” Caffarra said in a Jan. 14 interview with Matteo Matzuzzi of the Italian publication “Il Foglio.”
Were the deaths of Cardinal Carlo Caffarra and Cardinal Joachim Meisner by purposeful design or by natural causes? Who of the remaining two cardinals who "penned a letter with five 'dubia,' or questions, about the interpretation of Amoris laetitia to Pope Francis, requesting that he 'resolve the uncertainties and bring clarity'" [2] will be the next to die?
Should Cardinal Walter Brandmüller and Cardinal Raymond Burke be afraid, very afraid? If Bergoglio had foreknowledge of Cardinals Meisner and Caffarra's impending deaths, "almost exactly two months" apart [4], should he be afraid, very afraid?
Here is Bergoglio's condolence message sent after the death of Cardinal Joachim Meisner, published by ZENIT on July 5, 2017 [5]:
To HIS EMINENCE
THE CARDINAL RAINER WOELKI
ARCHBISHOP OF COLOGNE
“With profound emotion I learned that, suddenly and unexpectedly, Cardinal Joachim Meisner was called from this earth by the God of mercy. I am close to you and to all faithful of the Archdiocese of Cologne in prayer for the late Pastor. With profound faith and sincere love for the Church, Cardinal Meisner was dedicated to the proclamation of the Good News. May Christ the Lord reward him for his faithful and intrepid efforts in favor of the good of people of East and West and make him participant in the Communion of Saints in Heaven. From the heart, I impart my Apostolic Blessing upon all those who remember the deceased pastor with prayer and sacrifice.
POPE FRANCIS
(subjective translation based on fantasy: With profound and perhaps even secret relief and satisfaction, rather than sadness, I learned that, underscore these words in capital letters and make sure they are part of my telegram: SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, Cardinal Meisner was called from this earth... and so on...]
Compare the words that are missing from the above telegram with words in bold italics in the telegram below, sent by Bergoglio on the death of Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi [6]:
Telegram of the Holy Father
HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL ANGELO SCOLA
APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR
HIS EXCELLENCY MSGR. MARIO DELPINI, ARCHBISHOP ELECT
PIAZZA FONTANA 2
20122 MILAN
UPON LEARNING OF THE PASSING OF DEAR CARDINAL DIONIGI TETTAMANZI, I WISH TO EXPRESS MY CONDOLENCES TO THE RELATIVES OF THIS DIOCESAN COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES HIM AMONG HER MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SONS AND AMONG HER MOST AMIABLE AND BELOVED PASTORS. I THINK WITH AFFECTION AND I REMEMBER WITH GRATITUDE HIS INTENSE CULTURAL WORK AND PROFUSE PASTORAL MINISTRY OF THIS BLESSED BROTHER WHO IN HIS FRUITFUL EXISTENCE WITNESSED WITH JOY THE GOSPEL AND SERVED THE CHURCH OBEDIENTLY, FIRST AS A PRIEST IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MILAN, THEN AS BISHOP OF ANCONA-OSIMO, SECRETARY OF THE ITALIAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE, ARCHBISHOP OF GENOA, THEN ARCHBISHOP OF THE BELOVED AMBROSIAN CHRUCH, AND FINALLY APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF VIGEVANO. HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS A CARING PASTOR, TOTALLY DEVOTED TO THE NEEDS AND THE GOOD OF ALL PRIESTS AND FAITHFUL, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THEMES OF THE FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND BIOETHICS, IN WHICH HE WAS PARTICULARLY EXPERT. I RAISE MY PRAYER TO THE LORD THAT, BY THE INTERCESSION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, HE WELCOME THIS HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT, WHOM I GREATLY LOVED, IN JOY AND IN ETERNAL PEACE, AND I IMPART MY HEARTFELT APOSTOLIC BLESSING TO THOSE WHO MOURN HIS PASSING, WITH A SPECIAL THOUGHT FOR THOSE WHO LOVINGLY CARED FOR HIM IN THESE RECENT TIMES OF ILLNESS.
FRANCISCUS PP.
FROM THE VATICAN, 5 AUGUST 2017 [EMPHASIS added.]
Bergoglio's telegram on the death of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor is quoted below [7]:
Deeply saddened to learn of the death of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, I hasten to offer my heartfelt condolences to you and to the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese. Recalling with immense gratitude the late Cardinal’s distinguished service to the Church in England and Wales, his unwavering devotion to the preaching of the Gospel and the care of the poor, and his far-sighted commitment to the advancement of ecumenical and interreligious understanding, I willingly join you in commending his noble soul to the infinite mercies of God our heavenly Father. To all who mourn his passing in the sure hope of the Resurrection I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and strength in the Lord.
FRANCISCUS PP.
How deeply saddened was Bergoglio in learning of the death of Cardinal Carlo Caffarra remains to be seen in a telegram yet to be posted on the Internet, assuming that one would be sent eventally. It would be interesting to see how much affection Bergoglio has for Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, and whether Bergoglio will raise his prayer to the Lord to welcome Cardinal Caffarra in joy and in eternal peace in the same way he raised his prayer to the Lord for Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi whom Bergoglio "deeply loved" [8] and if there would be any mention that Cardinal Caffarra who "in his fruitful existence witnessed with joy the Gospel [,especially after reading AMORIS LÆTITIA [9] written by me,] and served the Church [and me] obediently." [10]
[1] http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cardinal-carlo-caffarra-second-of-four-dubia-cardinals-dies-at-79-19596/
[2] https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2017/07/05/cardinal-meisner-one-dubia-cardinals-dies-83/
[3] http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/cardinal-carlo-caffarra-second-of-four-dubia-cardinals-dies-at-79-19596/
[4] Ibid.
[5] https://zenit.org/articles/pope-sends-condolences-for-death-of-cardinal-meisner/
[6] http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/08/05/170805d.html
[7] http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/09/02/pope_sends_condolences_on_the_death_of_card_murphy_oconnor/1334246
[8] http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/08/05/170805d.html
[9] http://m.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf
[10] http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/08/05/170805d.html
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