Pope Benedict XVI yesterday said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, the former bishop of Kaohsiung, who passed away on Wednesday aged 89. In a telegram to Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-chung, the current head of Kaohsiung diocese, the pontiff recalled “his years of dedicated service.” Churches across Taiwan held requiem Masses yesterday in remembrance of the first Taiwanese diocesan bishop to be named a cardinal. Hundreds of Catholics waited at the Kaohsiung curia office to receive the body of their late bishop. In Taipei, the papal representative read out Pope Benedict XVI’s condolences in the Holy Family Church Mass, which carried a simple decoration – two potted flowers, a fruit bowl and a cup of wine – according to the cardinal’s last wish.