Cardinal Tauran, leader in Catholic-Muslim dialogue, dies at 75

After a long battle with Parkinson's Disease, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, a seasoned Vatican diplomat who announced Pope Francis' election to the world in 2013, died Thursday at a hospital in the United States.

According to Italian newspaper Vatican Insider, Tauran, who until his July 5 death served as president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, had traveled to Connecticut for treatment, staying with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Despite a progressive decline in his health, Tauran made a lengthy and historic visit to Saudi Arabia in April to advance the Holy See's relationship with Saudi authorities, and to reinforce dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Born in Bordeaux, France in 1953, Tauran turned 75 April 3 and has a long track record of diplomatic service in the Vatican.

Ordained a priest in September 1969, the late cardinal held licentiate degrees in philosophy and theology, and he also held a degree in canon law.

After serving as parochial vicar for a period of time after his ordination, Tauran in 1975 entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See when he was named the Vatican's ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

He was then sent as a papal envoy to Lebanon, and later represented the Holy See at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), participating in multiple conferences throughout the continent.

In 1988 he was named undersecretary for the then-Council for the Public Affairs of the Church – now known as the Section for Relations with States in the Vatican's Secretariat of State – and in 1991 Pope John Paul II appointed him secretary of the dicastery and made him an archbishop.

In that role, which is equivalent to a Foreign Minister, Tauran led delegations from the Holy See to numerous international conferences.

The cardinal was appointed archivist and librarian for the Vatican in 2003, and in October of that year was given a red hat by Pope John Paul II.

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