Catholic cardinal Joachim Meisner of Germany died yesterday while on vacation. According to the National Catholic Register, the cause of death is currently unknown, but Meisner passed on peacefully in his sleep. The influential man was made a cardinal by Pope Saint John Paul the Second, and presided over Germany’s largest diocese for 25 years. The Cardinal was outspoken on many issues and a strong advocate for life. Meisner is also known for signing the “dubia,” a series of five questions concerning Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation “The Joy of Love”, asking for clarity on parts of the document. Many are calling Meisner’s death the “end of an era” because of his strong stance on moral issues and close relationships with the previous two popes. ~ Sarah Schutte
