Brazilian Cardinal Lorscheider, defender of poor, dies at 83

Published: 2007-12-24

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Brazilian Cardinal Aloisio Lorscheider, known as an advocate for the poor and one of Latin America's most influential churchmen, died at age 83. Pope Benedict XVI, in a condolence telegram, praised the cardinal for his "constant and generous dedication" in Brazilian dioceses and at the Vatican, where he was a member of several congregations. Cardinal Lorscheider died Dec. 23 in a hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He reportedly had experienced heart problems for some time. A Franciscan known for his simple spirit and his dedication to social justice, Cardinal Lorscheider served as president of the Brazilian bishops' conference and the Latin American bishops' council, CELAM, in the 1970s. In 1978, he was said to have been considered as a papal candidate in the conclave that elected Pope John Paul II.

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