“I ask the Father of all mercy to welcome in His peace and in His light this wise pastor, who has shown the goodness and love of God to the people entrusted to him,” Pope Francis said November 13, 2017, in a telegram of condolences for the death November 12, 2017, of Cardinal Bernard Panafieu, archbishop emeritus of Marseille, France, sent by the Holy Father to Archbishop Georges Pontier, of Marseille:
Telegram of the Holy Father
Having learned with sorrow of the death of Cardinal Bernard Panafieu, archbishop emeritus of Marseille, I express my deepest condolences to his family, his former diocese and the Communauté de Notre-Dame de Vie who surrounded him during his later years. I ask the Father of all mercy to welcome in His peace and in His light this wise pastor, who has shown the goodness and love of God to the people entrusted to him, first as auxiliary bishop of Annecy, then as archbishop of Aix-en-Provence and Arles, and finally of Marseille. Attentive to the precarious situations and the diversity of the population of his diocese, he made an eminent contribution to the dialogue between cultures and religions, thus promoting peaceful coexistence among all. As a token of comfort, I extend my Apostolic Blessing to you, Excellency, as well as to your auxiliary, to the family of the deceased Cardinal and his relatives, to his former diocese, and to all those who attend his funeral celebration.
© Libreria Editrice Vatican
JF
