Pope cites Vatican official's 'zeal and passion' to protect family

Published: 2008-04-23

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, led church efforts to safeguard and promote a Catholic view of marriage and family life with untiring "zeal and passion," Pope Benedict XVI said. The 72-year-old Colombian cardinal died April 19 at Rome's Pius XI clinic, where he had been hospitalized since early April with a respiratory infection. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, celebrated Cardinal Lopez Trujillo's funeral Mass April 23 in St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Benedict entered the basilica after Communion to preside over the final commendation and farewell and to address the congregation. "How can we not thank him for the courage with which he defended the nonnegotiable values of human life?" the pope asked. "We all admired his untiring activity."

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