On the afternoon of Friday 21 June, at the Casa del Clero in Treviso – after a rapid worsening of his health in recent weeks – he died at the age of eighty Monsignor Gianfranco Agostino Gardinformer Provincial Minister and General Minister of the Order of Conventual Franciscans as well as bishop emeritus of Treviso.
Monsignor Gardin it was also linked to Venice: in his childhood he lived in the parish of Frari, where he met and frequented the friars of the historic basilica, asking, at the age of 14, to join their Order.
He recalls this in a note the bishop of Treviso, Michele Tomasi: «HE Mgr. Gianfranco Agostino Gardin has returned to the Father’s house. Father Agostino passed away peacefully in the House of the Clergy, where he had resided since June 2022. In the last months of his life he experienced a period of progressive fragility, accompanied by the care of the managers and staff of the House of the Clergy, by the affection of his family and the many who knew and appreciated him during the years of his ministry, in particular at the service of the Diocese of Treviso. We entrust him to the Lord of life – he continues – for whom he gave his entire existence, in the beloved family of the Order of Conventual Franciscans, at the service of the universal Church, donating his human, theological and spiritual competence to the promotion of religious and consecrated life , also as Secretary of the competent Congregation. He has lived these last years under the sign of discretion and generous friendship. Since my appointment as Bishop of Treviso he has welcomed me with the immediate brotherhood I have shown him and I will remain profoundly grateful to him. The Diocese of Treviso has numerous reasons to be grateful to him, especially for his continuous invitation to know and love Jesus Christ, the center of existence. To his family and to the family of the Conventual Franciscan Order I express my closeness and that of our entire Diocese, while I invite everyone to pray for suffrage.”
THE funeral will be celebrated on Friday 28 June at 10.30 am at the Cathedral of Treviso, presided over by Monsignor Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice and President of the Trivenetian Episcopal Conference.
