Cardinal Wladyslaw Rubin; Compatriot of Pope John Paul II

Polish Cardinal Wladyslaw Rubin, 73, a personal friend and compatriot of Pope John Paul II. “He was a true, good and faithful servant of God and the church, carrying out tasks of particular delicacy and responsibility,” Vatican sources quoted the Pope as saying. Among his various appointments in the Vatican Curia, or government, was as Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Rite churches, placing him in charge of the pastoral care of Poles living abroad. Eastern Rite churches have many different customs from the Roman Catholic Church but acknowledge the Pope as their leader. During World War II, Rubin served as a volunteer with Polish troops in Italy and remained in Italy after being ordained in 1946. He became a bishop in 1964. In 1979, John Paul, also a Pole, made him a cardinal. Rubin’s death reduced the Sacred College of Cardinals to 143 members. Only 102 are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in any election to choose a new Pope. In Rome on Wednesday of undisclosed causes.