DAILY CATHOLIC WEDNESDAY February 3, 1999 vol. 10, no. 23

COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO

INTRODUCTION

This new feature that we introduce today will spotlight each member of the Conclave. We find this necessary as our dear Sovereign Pontiff Pope John Paul II grows older, clinging to hope, as we join him, of seeing the light of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart with the dawn of the new millennium - the Jubilee Year 2000. How much longer this 264th successor of Peter has left on this earth only God knows for sure, but His Divine Mercy is evident in allowing him to be with us this long for he truly is a saint for our times, truly Christ's Vicar on earth in these waning days before the glorious Reign of the Sacred Heart, the Time of Peace, the Era of the Eucharistic Presence, the New Pentecost, the Second Advent, the Age of the Holy Spirit. What 1999 will bring we have no idea, nor does anyone else, but with John Paul II at the helm, we feel much more secure in knowing God's Will will be done. Nevertheless, we want to preview the future Pope whether that be soon or much, much later, for no one lives forever and eventually one of those prelates will be selected as the 265th successor of Peter. This will give the reader a better insight into the man whom the Holy Spirit will move the conclave to choose. Thus we bring the reader vignettes on each cardinal in alphabetical order gleaned from the Catholic Almanac, Inside the Vatican and other sources.

14. Cardinal Giacomo Biffi

Milan native Cardinal Giacomo Biffi was born on the feast of Saint Anthony of Padua in 1928. At the unusually young age of 22 he was ordained a priest two days before Christmas in 1950. He returned to school to receive his degree in Theology, then taught seminarians at the Diocesan school in Venegono. In 1960 he was assigned to pastoral work in the parish of the Holy Anaunian Martyrs in Legnano and nine years later transfered to St. Andrew's Church also in the same city. Pope Paul VI made him the Bishop of Fidene on December 7, 1975 and on January 11, 1976 he was appointed auxiliary Bishop of Milan. While in this post he was involved in the liturgical reform of the Ambrosian Rite as well as founding and heading up the Lombard Pastoral Institute. He was elevated to Archbishop of Bologna on April 19, 1984 by Pope John Paul II who also tabbed him for the cardinalate a year later at the Consistory of May 25, 1985 in which 24 were presented the red-hat. He received the titular church of Sts. John the Evangelist and Petronius.

Cardinal Biffi, who will turn 71 on June 13th, serves in the Curia as a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Clergy, and the Congregation for Catholic Education. His candidacy is a long shot but he is familiar with the workings of Rome and comes from Milan, a cradle of Popes, the latest being Paul VI.

DAILY CATHOLIC WEDNESDAY February 3, 1999 vol. 10, no. 23

COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO

INTRODUCTION

14. Cardinal Giacomo Biffi

February 3, 1999 volume 10, no. 23 COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTIONDAILY CATHOLIC

February 3, 1999 volume 10, no. 23
COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION
DAILY CATHOLIC