Leo Joseph Suenens
Kingdom of Belgium | |
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Parents | Jean-Baptiste Suenens Jeanne Janssens |
Previous post(s) | Titular Bishop of Isinda (1945-61) Auxiliary Bishop of Mechelen (1945-61) President of the Belgian Episcopal Conference (1961-79) Military Vicar of Belgium (1962-79) |
Alma mater | Pontifical Gregorian University |
Motto | In Spiritu Sancto |
Coat of arms |
Leo Jozef Suenens (
Suenens was a leading voice at the Second Vatican Council advocating for reform in the Church.
Biography
Early life and education
Leo Suenens was born at
Priesthood
Episcopal career
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Styles of Leo Jozef Suenens | |
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Mechelen-Brussels |
On 12 November 1945, he was appointed by
Suenens was one of the
He also
Second Vatican Council
When Pope John XXIII called the world's bishops to Rome for the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), he found in Suenens a man who shared his views on the need for renewal in the Church. When the first session fell into organizational chaos under the weight of its documents, it was Suenens who, at the invitation of the Pope, rescued it from deadlock and essentially set the agenda for the entire Council.
Death
Suenens died from
After his death, Belgian police drilled into his tomb and that of Cardinal Jozef-Ernest Van Roey, searching for documents connected to the sex abuse scandal, which had supposedly been buried with the cardinals.[4]
Views
Dialogue with the modern world
Dialogue with other Christian denominations as well as with other religions, the proper role of the laity, modernization of religious life for women,[5] collegiality,[6][7] religious liberty, collaboration and corresponsibility in the Church were among the causes he advocated at the council.
Pope John Paul II himself later attested that "Cardinal Suenens had played a decisive part in the Council".[8]
He was described by his successor, Godfried Danneels, as “an excellent weather-forecaster who know from which direction the wind was blowing in the Church, and an experienced strategist who realized that he could not change the wind’s direction but he could set the sails to suit it."[9]
Relations with the Curia
In May 1969, an interview he gave to the
Ecumenism
Committed to ecumenism, he and Archbishop Michael Ramsey of Canterbury were close friends.[10]
Marriage
During the council's debates on marriage, Suenens accused the Church of holding
Humanae Vitae
According to
Orthodoxy and heterodoxy
Suenens once remarked, "If you don't believe in the
Charismatic Renewal
He endorsed the Catholic Charismatic Renewal;[14][15] his episcopal motto was In Spiritu Sancto ("In the Holy Spirit").
Trivia
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- During his studies at Rome, Suenens resided at the Belgian Pontifical College and also served as college librarian.
- The Cardinal also served as National President of the Legion of Mary and Pax Christi, national liaison for Catholic Action in Belgium,[16] and later President of the Belgian Episcopal Conference.[17]
- In 1976, he received the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion from Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace.[18]
- During the August 1978 conclave, Suenens thanked Pope John Paul I for accepting his election.[19]
Published works
His written works that have appeared in English include:[20][21]
- Theology of the Apostolate, Mercier Press, Cork, 1953.
- Edel Quinn, Fallon Ltd, Dublin, 1953.
- The Right View of Moral Re-armament, Burns and Oates, London, 1953.
- The Gospel to Every Creature, Burns and Oates, London, 1956.
- Mary Mother of God, Burns and Oates, London, 1957.
- Love and Control, Burns and Oates, London, 1961.
- The Nun in the World, Burns and Oates, London, 1962.
- Christian Life Day by Day, Burns and Oates, London, 1963.
- The Church in Dialogue, Fides Publishers, Notre Dame, Indiana, 1965.
- Co-Responsibility in the Church, Burns and Oates, London, 1968.
- The Future of the Christian Church, with Michael Ramsey, SCM Press, London, 1970.
- A New Pentecost?, Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 1975.
- Your God?, Seabury Press, New York, 1978.
- The Charismatic Renewal, The Word of Life, Notre Dame, Indiana, 1974.
- Ecumenism and Charismatic Renewal, Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 1978.
- Charismatic Renewal and Social Action, with Hélder Câmara, Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 1980.
- Renewal and Powers of Darkness, Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 1983.
- Nature and Grace: A Vital Unity, Darton, Longman and Todd, London, 1983.
- Resting in the Spirit, Veritas, Dublin, 1989.
- Memories and Hopes, Veritas, Dublin, 1992.
- The Hidden Hand of God, Veritas, Dublin 1994.
- The Christian at the Dawn of a New Era, Fiat Publications, Mechelen, 1997.
See also
- Archbishopric of Mechelen-Brussels
References
- ^ a b c d "Roman Catholics: The Cardinal as Critic". TIME. 1 August 1969. Archived from the original on 14 December 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ a b Steinfels, Peter. "Leo Joseph Cardinal Suenens, A Vatican II Leader, Dies at 91", The New York Times, 7 May 1996
- ^ "Leo Jozef Cardinal Suenens: 1904-1996". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ "Police 'Sex Abuse Cover Up' Raid on Belgian Cardinals' Tombs Slammed by Vatican". MedIndia. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "The Vatican Council: A Mind of Its Own". TIME. 20 November 1964. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Roman Catholics: Council on the Move". TIME. 8 November 1963. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Roman Catholics: The Prelates Speak Out". TIME. 24 October 1969. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ [1] Archived 14 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Leon Joseph Cardinal Suenens". Cardinal Suenens Center, Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Compass Vol. 14 #3, Schaper and Catoir Articles". Gvanv.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Roman Catholics: No More Galileos". TIME. 6 November 1964. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 April 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Religion: Birth Control: Pronouncement Withdrawn". TIME. 21 June 1968. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Religion: The Pentecostal Tide". TIME. 18 June 1973. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "What is the Nature of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal?". Ccr.org.uk. 19 September 2003. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Leo Jozef Cardinal Suenens – 1904-1996". ICCRS Newsletter. 1996. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
- ^ "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church – Biographies – S". Fiu.edu. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ Ponticello, Abby (27 January 2023). "A Compassionate Voice in Catholic Discourse". Templeton Prize. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Religion: How Pope John Paul I Won". TIME. 11 September 1978. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ Elizabeth Hamilton, Cardinal Suenens: A Portrait, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1975, p. 274.
- ^ Cardinal Suenens from WorldCat, retrieved 18 March 2023