He continued his studies at the Lateran and Gregorian University while doing pastoral work in Rome and Porto e Santa Rufina until 1979. From 1950 to 1965, he served as vice-rector and later rector of the Pontifical Nepomucenum College.[1] He taught at the International University Pro Deo from 1955 to 1956 as well. During this period, Tomko was actively involved in establishment of the Slovak Institute of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Rome. He visited the Slovak communities in the United States, Canada, and various European countries several times.[2] Tomko for decades regularly addressed Slovak Catholics on Vatican Radio and also on Catholic TV Lux.[citation needed]
Roman Curia
Tomko was raised to the rank of Privy Chamberlain supernumerary on 5 December 1959, and entered the service of the Roman Curia in 1962, as an adjunct in the Book Censorship Section of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). In reference to the more lenient measures taken against dissident theologians, he once remarked, "The electric chair and gas chamber are no more".[3] During the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) he worked as a consultant for the CDF and later became a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Family. Tomko became an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness on 17 June 1970. He was named Undersecretary of the Congregation for Bishops in 1974. He was a visiting professor at the Gregorian University from 1970 to 1977.
John Paul II created him Cardinal-Deacon of Gesù Buon Pastore alla Montagnola in the consistory of 25 May 1985.[8] He was then named prefect of his congregation.[9] During his tenure, he became a close confidant of Pope John Paul, and served as a special papal envoy to several religious celebrations. He was named a member of the Presynodal Council for Special Synod of Asian Bishops in September 1995. After ten years as a cardinal deacon, he opted for order of Cardinal Priests and assumed the titular church of S. Sabina on 29 January 1996.[10]
Upon the death of John Paul II on 2 April 2005, Tomko and all major Vatican officials automatically lost their positions. He was confirmed as president of International Eucharistic Congresses by Pope Benedict XVI on 21 April.[12] Tomko retired as president on 1 October 2007.[13]
Later work
Pope Benedict XVI established a Commission of Cardinals to investigate leaks of reserved and confidential documents on television, in newspapers, and in other communications media. It first met on 24 April 2012. Cardinal Herranz served as the chair and the other members were Cardinals Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi.[14]
Tomko died in Rome on 8 August 2022 at the age of 98. He had recently suffered a spinal injury, and was further weakened from COVID-19 complications.[18][19][20] On 16 August 2022, he was buried, per his wishes, in the Cathedral of St. Elisabeth of Hungary in Košice.[21]
Grand Cruz de la Orden del Libertador San Martín, Argentina (Buenos Aires 1999).
The Catholic University of Ruzomberok awarded Cardinal Tomko the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa on 26 April 2006.[24]
Honorary doctorate awarded by the Faculty of Medicine of Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice for contribution to the development of culture, education and humanity in Slovakia, (11 December 2001)
The Golden Plaque of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic (2009)[25]
^Slovak republic website, State honoursArchived 13 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine : 1st Class received in 1995 (click on "Holders of the Order of the 1st Class White Double Cross" to see the holders' table)
