H.E. Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski passed away yesterday, a long time advocate of life and the dignity of the sick.

Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski was the president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 April 2009. On Saturday, July 28, 2012, Archbishop Zimowski was named a Member of the Congregation for Bishops by Pope Benedict XVI. He previously served as bishop of Radom from 2002 until his appointment in the Roman Curia.

In the Polish Bishops’ Conference, he held the following positions: President of the Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith, Member of the Permanent Council, Delegate for the Pastoral Care of Migrants Poles, Member of the Ecumenical Commission and the Group for Contacts with the Polish Ecumenical Council, Member of the group of Bishops for the Pastoral Care for Radio Maria, and Member of the Polish Society of Mariology.

He participated in the preparation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and worked with the Polish section of Radio Vatican, as well as participated in and served mass at the 2013 and 2015 MaterCare Rome conferences.

MaterCare International is deeply saddened by this loss. The staff, council and board of administration of MaterCare International send his friends and family, and all the staff at the Pontifical Council, our prayerful condolences. We are sure that His Excellency has seen his God as He really is and has been received with a smile and a warm embrace as a good and faithful servant.

“As obstetricians, we have been most grateful for his support and encouragement, most recently at the time of our 2015 Rome Conference. A special mass in celebration for His Excellency’s life and work will be offered at our Parish of St Pius X in St John’s, Newfoundland,” Dr. Robert Walley stated.