French prelate to head inter-religious dialogue
Jun 25, 2007
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Vatican archivist and librarian, has been named by Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) to become president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue.
Vatican, Jun. 25, 2007 (CWNews.com) - In a May interview with the Italian daily La Stampa, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (bio - news), the Vatican Secretary of State, revealed plans to upgrade the status of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, largely in response to the challenge of relations with the world's Muslims.
In March 2006, Pope Benedict had announced that the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue would be combined with the Pontifical Council for Culture, under the oversight of a single prelate: Cardinal Paul Poupard. Although it left the two agencies intact, the administrative change was generally seen as a merger of the two offices, downgrading their importance.
Cardinal Tauran, a native of France, is among the most experienced diplomats at the Vatican. From 1990 to 2003 he served as the Secretary for Relations with States-- in effect, the Vatican's foreign minister. Seen as a close ally of the former Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano (bio - news), he was also admired by the late Pope John Paul II (bio - news), who elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 2003.
Under Vatican protocol, a cardinal never reports to anyone other than the Roman Pontiff. So when he received his red hat, Cardinal Tauran left his post at the Secretariat of State, where he ranked as a deputy to Cardinal Sodano, to become the Vatican archivist. It was generally understood that the appointment was a temporary one, and that Cardinal Tauran would soon move on to a more prestigious position.
However, the assignment as archivist and librarian was also considered appropriate for Cardinal Tauran because although he is not yet 65 years old, the French prelate's health is poor. It is not clear whether his new position at the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue will place new physical burdens on him.
The last president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue prior to the March 2006 merger was Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, who received a new assignment as papal nuncio to Egypt and the Vatican's representative at the Arab League.
Bishop Raffaele Farina, who has been the prefect of the apostolic library, will succeed Cardinal Tauran as the Vatican archivist and librarian, who will assume the title of archbishop with his new post. His post as prefect, in turn, will be filled by Msgr. Cesare Pasini, the vice-prefect of the Ambrosian Library in Milan.
French prelate to head inter-religious dialogue