Recquiescat in Pace

Bernardin Cardinal Gantin

Birth

May 8, 1922, Toffo, archdiocese of Cotonou, Benin (then Dahomey).

Education

Seminary of Ouidah, Ouidah; Pontifical Urbanian Athaenaeum, Rome.

Priesthood

Ordained, January 14, 1951, Cotonou, by Louis Parisot, M.Afr., archbishop of Cotonou. Faculty member, Seminary of Quidah and pastoral work in the archdiocese of Cotonou, 1951-1953. Further studies, 1953-1956, Rome.

Episcopate

Elected titular bishop of Tipasa di Mauritania and appointed auxiliary of Cotonou, December 11, 1956. Consecrated, February 3, 1957, chapel of Collegio de Propagande Fide, Rome, by Cardinal Eugène Tisserant, bishop of the suburbicarian sees of Ostia and Porto e Santa Rufina, dean of Sacred College of Cardinals, prefect of S.C. Ceremonial and Librarian and archivist of the Holy Roman Church, assisted by Pietro Sigismondi, titular archbishop of Neapolis di Pisidia, secretary of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide, and by André Pierre Duirat, bishop of Bouaké. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Cotonou, January 5, 1960. Secretary adjunct of the S.C. for the Evangelization of Peoples, March 5, 1971. Resigned the pastoral government of the archdiocese, June 28, 1971. Secretary of the S.C. for the Evangelization of Peoples, February 26, 1973. Vice-president of the Pontifical Commission Iustitia et Pax, December 19, 1975; pro-president, December 16, 1976.

Cardinalate

Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of June 27, 1977; received the red biretta and the deaconry of Sacro Cuore di Cristo Re, June 27, 1977. President of the Pontifical Commission Iustitia et Pax, June 29, 1977; resigned the post, April 8, 1984. President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, September 4, 1978; resigned the post, April 8, 1984. Participated in the conclave of August 25 to 26,1978, which elected Pope John Paul I. Participated in the conclave of October 14 to 16,1978, which elected Pope John Paul II. Prefect of the S.C. for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, April 8, 1984; resigned both posts, June 25, 1998. Opted for the order of cardinal priests and his deaconry was elevated pro illa vice to title, June 25, 1984. Cardinal bishop of the title of the suburbicarian see of Palestrina, September 29, 1986. Dean of the College of Cardinals and bishop of the title of the suburbicarian see of Ostia, retaining the title of the suburbicarian see of Palestrina, June 5, 1993. Lost the right to participate in the conclave when turned 80 years old, May 8, 2002. Resigned the deanship of the College of Cardinals and the title of the suburbicarian see of Ostia, and became dean emeritus, November 30, 2002. Returned to live in Benin, December 4, 2002.

Death

May 13, 2008, Paris.