Funeral Mass for Former Detroit Archbishop Cardinal Szoka Tuesday, Aug. 26

By Claudia Lugo/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - Catholic leaders and faithful have packed the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit for the funeral of Edmund Szoka (SHAH'-kuh), an American cardinal who served as governor and financial administrator of the Vatican.

The Mass was held Tuesday morning, with Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron (VIG'-neh-ron) officiating. Szoka died of natural causes on Wednesday at Providence Park Hospital in Novi, Michigan. He was 86.

Szoka was a confidant of Pope John Paul II. In addition to leading Detroit-area Catholics, Szoka later served as the Governor of Vatican City. Since his retirement from active ministry in 2006, Szoka had been living in the Detroit suburb of Northville.

"We mourn the loss of a dedicated shepherd," said current Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, who had served as a priest under Cardinal Szoka in the 1980s. "For sixty years Cardinal Szoka gave himself totally to his priestly service of Christ and his Church. He has gone home to the Heavenly Father with our prayers. May the Lord give him the reward of his labors."

Following his retirement from active ministry in 2006, Cardinal Szoka had been living in Northville. He died last night, August 20, of natural causes at Providence Park Hospital in Novi. He was 86. 

Following his retirement from active ministry in 2006, Cardinal Szoka had been living in Northville. He died last night, August 20, of natural causes at Providence Park Hospital in Novi. He was 86.

Edmund Casimir Szoka was born Sept. 14, 1927, in Grand Rapids to Polish immigrants Casimir and Mary Szoka. His father had immigrated from what is now Belarus; his mother from Poland.

Cardinal Szoka was celebrating his 60th anniversary as a priest this year, having been ordained by Bishop Noa on June 5, 1954, to serve the Diocese of Marquette.

He had served as chancellor in the Diocese of Marquette until being named the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Gaylord in June of 1971. After establishing the Diocese of Gaylord, Pope John Paul II named him Archbishop of Detroit. He was installed to the post in May 1981.

The pope then made him a cardinal in June of 1988. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed to oversee economic affairs at the Vatican City State, in April of 1990, and was succeeded in Detroit by Archbishop (Cardinal) Adam J. Maida.

Cardinal Szoka oversaw the Vatican City State under both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. He was made President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State in 1997, and president of the Vatican City State in 2001.

A day after his 79th birthday in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Cardinal Szoka's resignation.

More biographical information on Cardinal Szoka is available at http://www.aod.org/szoka/. Articles and photos about Cardinal Szoka are available at The Michigan Catholic newspaper website, www.themichigancatholic.com.