Cardinal William Wakefield Baum passed away on July 23rd. He was the longest serving American cardinal in history and Archbishop of Washington from 1973 to 1980. ;
Baum was born in Dallas, Texas in 1926. He was ordained a priest 24 years later and became a bishop at age 43. ;
After being appointed a cardinal in 1976, Baum went on to participate in the conclaves that elected Pope John Paul, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI. ;
In addition to his work as Archbishop of Washington, he also spent a decade in the Roman Curia. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education from 1980 to 1990.
Baum may best be known for his longevity: He served as a cardinal for 39 years. No one else from the United States has matched that.
Initial reports indicate that Baum died after suffering from a prolonged illness. ;
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