Cardinal Ruini, key official under St. John Paul II, dead at 95
June 17, 2026
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, a leading protégé of Pope St. John Paul II, died on June 16 at the age of 95.
Born in 1931, Cardinal Ruini was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Reggio Emilia in 1954. St. John Paul appointed him an auxiliary bishop (1983), secretary general of the Italian Episcopal Conference (1986), and vicar general of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome (1991-2008).
By papal confirmation, Cardinal Ruini also served as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference from 1991 to 2007. St. John Paul created him a cardinal in 1991.
In recent years, Cardinal Ruini forcefully condemned abortion, warned that the German bishops risk schism, and said, in a blunt 95th birthday interview, that it was a mistake for Pope Benedict XVI to resign.
With Cardinal Ruini’s death, there are now 242 members of the College of Cardinals, 117 of whom are eligible to vote in a papal election.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
