Samoan Cardinal Taofinu'u dies at age 82

Published: 2006-01-23

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Samoan Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, the first Polynesian cardinal and a pioneering church leader in the Pacific, died Jan. 20 at age 82. In a condolence message, Pope Benedict XVI said Cardinal Taofinu'u was for all peoples of the Pacific "a towering figure of unwavering commitment to the truth and love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." His death leaves the College of Cardinals with 178 members, of whom 111 are under age 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave. Cardinal Taofinu'u was named the first bishop from Polynesia at the young age of 44 in 1968. In 1970 he hosted Pope Paul VI on a brief stopover in Samoa, and three years later he was named a cardinal, setting off celebrations among the small Catholic community of Western Samoa, where he was born. Known as an energetic pastor, the tall and imposing cardinal was often on the move from dawn to dusk among the peoples of his diocese and became a prime mover behind development projects to raise the living standards of the jungle population.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .