Tomáš Špidlík

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Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Born
Tomáš Špidlík

17 December 1919
Boskovice, Moravia, Czechoslovakia (modern-Czech Republic)
Died16 April 2010(2010-04-16) (aged 90)
Centro Ezio Aletti, Rome, Italy
Alma materUniversity of Brno
Pontifical Oriental Institute
MottoEx toto corde
SignatureTomáš Špidlík's signature
Coat of armsTomáš Špidlík's coat of arms
Styles of
Tomáš Špidlík
His Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
Seenone

Tomáš Josef Špidlík,

John Paul II made him a cardinal
in 2003.

Biography

Špidlík was born in 1919 in

Society of Jesus on 22 August 1949 in Maastricht.[1]
in 1949. A year later, in Florence, he finished his formation period as a Jesuit.

In 1951, Špidlík was called to Rome by Vatican Radio. The programs broadcast to the countries behind the Iron Curtain were a precious aid to a freedom in danger of being slowly but inexorably suffocated. From this work with Vatican Radio sprang a special mission that would always accompany him and that made him known in lands despite their communist domination. Among others, he met with Alexander Dubček, the former first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and Václav Havel, who became president of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic after the fall of the communist regime. Špidlík's Sunday homilies in Czech have been translated and published in various languages including Polish, Romanian and Italian.

He lived in Rome from 1951 until his death.[2]

In 1995 he delivered the annual Lenten retreat meditations for the pope and officials of the Roman Curia.[2] In June he defended his doctoral dissertation at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. That year marked the beginning of his university career as a professor of Patristic and Eastern Spiritual Theology at various universities in Rome. Špidlík became known as an expert in the spirituality of Eastern Christianity.

For 38 years he was the spiritual director of the Pontifical Nepomuceno Seminary, the old Bohemian Seminary.

On 21 October 2003, at the age of 83, he was created

Sant'Agata dei Goti
. Although he was not a voting cardinal, he was created a cardinal in recognition of his theological writings.

The Cardinal was a prolific author and was equally acknowledged in the academic and international fields. He was received at the Kremlin, led the spiritual exercises of Pope John Paul II and his Curia, and was decorated with the medal of the Masaryk Order, one of the highest honors of the Czech State, by president Václav Havel.

In 2005 Špidlík delivered the meditation on the first day of the

papal conclave just before the first ballot was taken. Because of age he was not eligible to participate in the voting.[2][3]

He died in Rome on 16 April 2010.

See also

References

  1. ^ Tsjechische curiekardinaal kreeg priesteropleiding in Maastricht – http://www.l1.nl/L1NWS/_pid/links4/_rp_links4_firstElementId/1_4553755/_rp_links4_hasclickpage/1_1013
  2. ^ a b c Allen Jr., John L. (13 April 2005). "Two conclave preachers are open, ecumenical". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. ISBN 9781580512022
    . Retrieved 24 August 2017.

Works

External links
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