Joint Sudden death of Belgian Primate

MORE CARDINALS TO RE NAIII1EDP
HE death in one week of three Cardinals
holding important posts in the Church has led to speculation in Rome that the Sacred College, now reduced to 81, may be further implemented —or that Pope John may reveal the names of the three Cardinals whom he created in pecto at last year's consistory.
The death on Sunday of Cardinal Van Roey, Archbishop of Malines and Primate of Belgium, occurred only three days after that of Cardinal Canali, Senior Cardinal Deacon and Grand Penitentiary, and only six days after the death of the Papal Secretary of State, Cardinal Tardini.
DEFIANCE
Cardinal Van Roey, who was 87, had been Archbishop of Malines for 35 years, succeeding \Cardinal Mercier in 1926. A statement issued from Archbishop's House last Saturday said that the Cardinal was tired following numerous conferences and functions and was feeling unwell. At midday he asked for the Last Sacraments. The Pope was told of this request and a letter was sent to all Belgian parishes asking for prayers. But the Cardinal died early an Sunday morning.
As 17th Archbishop of Malines Cardinal Von Roey was a stalwart opponent of the enemies of the Church and his nation throughout his career. He won international acclaim and served as a rallying point for Belgians during the last World War by his courageous deliance of the Nazis who occupied their nation.
Following the war, the Cardinal was equally lam in speaking out against the threat of Communism and on insisting on the rights of the Church in Belgium, especially in the field of education.
Born at Vorsselaer in 1874, Cardinal Von Roey was ordained in Malines in 1897. Following special studies at Louvain, from which he was graduated as a doctor of theology, the then Fr, Van Roey was a member of the
University s theological faculty until 1907 when he became Vicar General of the diocese. He served as secretary of the synod of the Belgian Province which met in 1920.
Consecrated in 1926 and receiving the Red Hat in 1927, Cardinal Van Roey devoted himself to promoting an immense programme of Catholic Action throughout his diocese. In every parish there was set up a committee on Catholic Action which co-ordinates all existing Catholic organisations and helps to prevent " lapsing ".
He raised a large sum of money to extend St. Joseph's Seminary and, in 1936, summoned a Congress in Malines which was to prove e milestone in the Catholic History of Belgium.
The Congress was summoned to give Belgian Catholics doctrinal direction on religious, social, Continued on page 5, col. 1