Cardinal Schotte has died

He was a builder of peace and justice.

"Is it possible to happily love? The Gospel of today gives us an answer, and the life of Cardinal Schotte gives us the same in substance," noted Father Hugo Vanermen, Rector of the Royal Belgian Church and the St.-Julian-of the-Flemish Convent, in his homilie during the Memorial Mass. He stood silent after the Gospel and then made some interesting links to the life of Cardinal Schotte.

"Cardinal Schotte in his vocation as a religious, as a priest, as bishop and Cardinal was increasingly aware of the love of Him who had created him and who had called him", stressed Hugo Vanermen. "This conviction has made him a servant of the Church as he did when a few weeks before the latter's death, he represented in Washington his intimate friend, Pope John Paul II, for the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady."

He was General Secretary of the Episcopal Synods in Rome.

"For long years he sought with the world episcopate the updating of the message of the Gospel according to the documents of the Second Vatican Council."

He was a Scheut Father, who are missionaries. Was this the best use of his talents, one wonders.

There is now only one Belgian Cardinal, following the deaths of Cardinal Schotte and the Lion in Winter, Cardinal Joos.

In the race to succeed Cardinal Danneels, Belgium TV reported last night that it has been impossible so far to find a compromise candidate between the liberals and the conservatives. Par for the course, in a country that cannot compromise between the French and Dutch speaking halves.

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