Alfons Maria Stickler

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

His Eminence

Alfons Maria Stickler

Archivist & Librarian Emeritus of the Holy Roman Church
SeeVolsinium (Titular)
Installed27 May 1985 – 1 July 1988
PredecessorAntonio Samorè
SuccessorAntonio María Javierre Ortas
Other post(s)Previously Pro-Archivist of the Holy Roman Church, Pro-Librarian of the Holy Roman Church
Orders
Created cardinal25 May 1985
Personal details
Born23 August 1910
Died12 December 2007(2007-12-12) (aged 97)
Vatican City
Styles of
Alfons Maria Stickler
His Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeVolsinium (titular)

Alfons Maria Stickler

clerical celibacy
.

Biography

Stickler was born in

ordained to the priesthood on 27 March 1937. (Stickler studied with Stephan Kuttner
, who lived to see his first pupil in the history of canon law become a cardinal.)

Stickler taught at the Salesian Pontifical University as Professor of Canon Law and Church Legal History for eight years. From 1958 to 1966 he served as rector of the University, having previously served as Dean of the Canon Law Faculty since 1953. Stickler participated as a peritus, or expert, at the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), working as a member on the Commission for the Clergy, the Commission for the Liturgy, and (in his capacity as rector of the Salesian University) the commission directed by the Congregation for Seminaries and Universities. From the close of the council until 1968, Stickler was president of the newly founded Institutum Altioris Latinitas.

On 8 September 1983, he was appointed

Cardinal-Deacon of San Giorgio in Velabro by John Paul II in the consistory
of 25 May 1985, becoming full Librarian and Archivist two days later, on 27 May.

Stickler reported that Karol Wojtyła, the future

Padre Pio who told Wojtyła that one day he would ascend to "the highest post in the Church."[1] Stickler added that Wojtyła believed that the prophecy was fulfilled when he became a cardinal.[2]

Stickler served as Librarian and Archivist until his resignation on 1 July 1988. During his tenure he promoted the construction of underground storage for the conservation and consultation of all the codices and printed books of the library. He chose to be raised to the rank of

Cardinal-Priest
(with the same title) on 29 January 1996, after spending ten years as a Cardinal Deacon.

Upon the death of Johannes Willebrands on 1 August 2006, Stickler became the oldest living cardinal. In 2007, he celebrated the seventieth anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Stickler studied the history of canon law with Stephan Kuttner and published on that subject.

Support for tradition

Stickler consistently defended the position that the Tridentine Mass was never forbidden or suppressed. He believed that the Mass of Paul VI contradicted the true wishes of the Second Vatican Council,[3] and told the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales that its movement "has full legitimacy in the Church".[4]

On 20 May 1995, Stickler stated that in 1986 a commission of nine cardinals (Stickler, Ratzinger (future Pope Benedict XVI), Mayer, Oddi, Casaroli, Gantin, Innocenti, Palazzini, and Tomko) appointed by Pope John Paul II unanimously gave a negative answer to the question "Did Pope Paul VI or any other competent authority legally forbid the widespread celebration of the Tridentine Mass in the present day?" and to the question "Can any bishop forbid any priest in good standing from celebrating the Tridentine Mass?" He said that eight of the nine were in favour of drawing up a general permission declaring that everyone could choose the old form of the Mass as well as the new.[5]

"The Case for Clerical Celibacy: Its Historical Development and Theological Foundations", written by Stickler, was published in 1995 by

celibacy for Catholic priests
.

References

  1. .
  2. ^ Zahn, Paula (17 June 2002). "Padre Pio Granted Sainthood". CNN. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  3. ^ These Last Days Ministries, Inc. Cardinal Alfons Stickler on the Changes in the Mass and Vatican II 1997
  4. ^ "Address by H.E. Cardinal Alfons Stickler, 20 June 1992". Archived from the original on 23 April 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2007.
  5. ^ "John Vennari: Traditional Mass Never Forbidden". Archived from the original on 23 September 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2007.

External links

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Archivist of the Holy Roman Church

8 September 1983 – 1 July 1988
Succeeded by
Records
Preceded by
Oldest living Member of the Sacred College

1 August 2006 – 12 December 2007
Succeeded by