On Friday, the Polish Bishops’ Conference announced the death of card. Zenon Grocholewski. On Saturday, at 11.00 am in the Vatican’s Basilica of St. Peter, a funeral mass was held, at which Pope Francis was present.
The mass was celebrated by the Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, card. Leonardo Sandri. The content of a condolence message that the Pope sent to Władysław Grocholewski, the brother of the late retired prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, was also announced. In a dispatch, Pope Francis wrote: “I recall with gratitude the well-deserved work he did as a lecturer of canon law at the pontifical Gregorian and Lateran universities, and as an author of numerous scientific publications.” Card. Grocholewski, the Pope added, “devoted himself especially generously to the service of the Holy See, first as secretary and prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, then as prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education.” “In both places he gave witness to priestly zeal, fidelity to the Gospel and the strengthening of the Church,” pope Francis emphasized, assuring the family of prayer for the deceased and of his blessing.