VATICAN - Death of Cardinal Lourdusamy, he was Secretary of Propaganda Fide and President of the PMS

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal D. Simon Lourdusamy, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches passed away last night in Rome. He was born in Kalleri, Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore (India) on February 5, 1924 and was ordained a priest on December 21, 1951. After studying at "Loyola College" in Madras, he obtained his doctorate in Canon Law at Urbaniana university in Rome. After ordination he held several positions. On July 2, 1962 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bangalore. On March 2, he was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. On February 24, 1973 he became Secretary of the same Congregation and President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, as well as Vice–Grand chancellor of the Pontifical Urbaniana University. He was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches on October 30, 1985, and created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in the Consistory on 25 May 1985. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 02/06/2014)