ARCHBISHOP JOHN CARDINAL FOLEY.....NOVEMBER 11, 1935 - DECEMBER 11, 2011...........

Archbishop John Cardinal Foley, a native of  Darby, Pennsylvania in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, who for twenty three years was head of the Pontifical Council For Social Communications, died on Sunday at age 76, of leukemia.  Cardinal Foley was a familiar voice to millions of Americans and viewers worldwide for twenty five years, on the annual NBC Christmas Midnight Mass broadcast, from St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, for which he was the commentator / translator.  He had been described as, "the nicest guy in the Vatican", for his jovial, and congenial, personality.  It was in 2007, when he was elevated to Cardinal of the Church, by Pope Benedict XVI, that John Allen, National Catholic Reporter Vatican columnist said, of Archbishop Foley's tenure leading up the Social Communications Council, that he had,"earned a reputation as the nicest guy in the Vatican".  In that responsibility, he had the longest term of service directing any major office in the Vatican.  Upon becoming a Cardinal, he was made Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, in Rome, which is a papal knighthood.  He returned to the Philadelphia Archdiocese last February, in declining health, and lived at Villa St. Joseph Priests Retirement Home, in his hometown of Darby, where he passed away Sunday.  His impressive contributions to serving the Church as a  communications spokesman speak voluminously.  As the Solemnity of Christmas nears, for which he was identified with as communicaster for a quarter of a century it is a large part of his legacy.  That he went forth from this world on the 4th Sunday of Advent speaks to the Joyfulness with which his life as a priest, archbishop , and cardinal, pleased God...........Eternal Life And Light To His Holy Soul, Now And Forever,   Fr.  Troy