The diocese of Treviso is mourning the death of the bishop emeritus, Gianfranco Agostino Gardin, which occurred this afternoon in the House of the Clergy, where he lived in recent years and where he spent the time of his illness. “Mgr. Gianfranco Agostino Gardin – we read in a note signed by the current bishop of Treviso, Michele Tomasi – returned to the Father’s house this afternoon”. Bishop of Treviso from 7 February 2010 to 6 July 2019, “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 of the many who they knew and appreciated him during the years of his ministry”, continues Mgr. Tomasi.
“We entrust him to the Lord of life, for whom he gave his entire existence, in the beloved family of the Order of Conventual Franciscans, at the service of the universal Church by donating his human, theological and spiritual competence to the promotion of religious and consecrated life, also as secretary of the competent Congregation – we read again in the note -. 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 that I have shown to 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”. Hence the closeness of Tomasi and the entire diocese to the family of Bishop Gardin and the family of the Conventual Franciscan Order, and the invitation to 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 Msgr. Francesco Moraglia, patriarch of Venice and president of the Trivenetian Episcopal Conference.
