Detroit — From tireless service as a priest in the Diocese of Marquette to the bedside of a saintly pope, Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka left a legacy of strong Christian leadership and relentless zeal for Christ.

The third archbishop and eighth ordinary of Detroit, who also was the founding bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord and head of the government of the Vatican City State, died on Aug. 20, and was laid to rest from the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit on Aug. 26.

His dedication to the priesthood, in which he had served for 60 years, drove him to become a figure unlike any other in the Church of North America. Throughout Michigan and at the Vatican, he will be remembered for a long list of accomplishments, anchored in an unwavering dedication to serve the Church and God’s people.

Articles about his life and remembrance can be found throughout this issue of The Michigan Catholic :

• Detroit’s archbishops fondly remember their predecessor


• Cardinal Szoka remembered through the years


• At wake service, cardinal heralded


• Laid to rest: The funeral Mass of a cardinal


• Cardinal’s family remembers his roots, kindness


• Cardinal leaves legacy in Polonia


• Family remembers ‘special neighbor’