Adrianus Johannes Simonis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Adrianus Johannes Simonis |
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Simonis in 1982
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| See | Utrecht |
| Enthroned | 3 December 1983 |
| Reign ended | 14 April 2007 |
| Predecessor | Johannes Willebrands |
| Successor | Wim Eijk |
| Other posts | Cardinal Priest of San Clemente |
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| Ordination | 15 June 1957 |
| Consecration | 20 March 1971 by Bernardus Johannes Alfrink |
| Created Cardinal | 25 May 1985 |
| Rank | Cardinal priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 November 1931 Lisse, Netherlands |
| Died | 2 September 2020 (aged 88) Voorhout, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | Ut cognoscant te ('So that they may know you') |
| Styles of Adrianus Johannes Simonis |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Utrecht |
Adrianus Johannes Simonis (born 26 November 1931 – died 2 September 2020) was an important Dutch leader in the Catholic Church. He was a Cardinal, which is a very high rank. From 1983 to 2007, he was the Archbishop of Utrecht. He became a Cardinal in 1985.
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Early Life and Education
Adrianus Simonis was born in Lisse, South Holland, in the Netherlands. He was the second oldest of eleven children in his family.
He began his studies to become a priest at the Seminary of Hageveld. He attended this school from 1945 to 1951. After that, he continued his studies at the Major Seminary in Warmond from 1951 to 1957.
Becoming a Priest and Early Work
On 15 June 1957, Adrianus Simonis was ordained as a priest. Bishop Martien Jansen performed the ordination ceremony.
After becoming a priest, he worked in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rotterdam. He served as a curate, which is a priest who helps the main pastor. He worked in the parish of Saint Victor in Waddinxveen. Later, he served at the Holy Martyrs Gorinchem parish in Rotterdam.
Further Studies in Rome
From 1959 to 1966, Simonis went to Rome to study more. He attended the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). He also studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute.
He earned a special doctorate degree cum laude (with honors) in biblical exegesis. This means he studied and explained parts of the Bible in great detail. His main paper was about "Jesus as the Good Shepherd in the Gospel of Saint John".
Return to the Netherlands and New Roles
After finishing his studies in Rome, Simonis returned to the Netherlands. From 1966 to 1970, he was the pastor of the Blessed Sacrament parish in The Hague. He also worked as a chaplain at the Red Cross Hospital.
In March 1969, he became a canon of the cathedral chapter of Rotterdam. This was another important role within the church.
Bishop of Rotterdam
On 29 December 1970, Pope Paul VI chose Adrianus Simonis to be the Bishop of Rotterdam. He was 39 years old at the time.
Some people thought he had "conservative" views within the Dutch church. However, Simonis disagreed with this label. He said, "They say 'conservative', but I say with Saint Paul: 'Test all things; hold fast what is good'. In that sense I am conservative." This means he believed in keeping what was good and true.
Archbishop of Utrecht
On 27 June 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Simonis as the Archbishop Coadjutor of Utrecht. This meant he was chosen to help the current archbishop and would take over when he retired.
On 3 December 1983, he became the Archbishop of Utrecht. This happened after Cardinal Johannes Willebrands resigned. A few days later, on 6 December, he also became a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. This group helps spread the Catholic faith around the world.
Becoming a Cardinal
Adrianus Simonis was a big supporter of Pope John Paul II's visit to the Netherlands in 1985.
On 25 May 1985, he was made a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II. This is one of the highest positions in the Catholic Church, making him the seventh cardinal from the Dutch Church. He was given the title of Cardinal-Priest of the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome.
As a Cardinal, he was part of several important church groups. These included the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Congregation for Catholic Education. He was also a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He held these roles until his 80th birthday in 2011.
Papal Conclave and Retirement
In 2005, Cardinal Simonis was one of the cardinal electors who voted for a new Pope. This special meeting is called a papal conclave. He helped choose Pope Benedict XVI.
Cardinal Simonis sent his letter of resignation as Archbishop of Utrecht to Pope Benedict on 13 November 2006. The Pope accepted his resignation on 14 April 2007. This was two months before Simonis celebrated his golden jubilee as a priest, marking 50 years of service.
He continued to lead the archdiocese as an Apostolic Administrator for a short time. His successor, Wim Eijk, took over on 28 January 2008.
Cardinal Simonis passed away on 2 September 2020. He died at a care centre in Voorhout, Netherlands.
See also
In Spanish: Adrianus Johannes Simonis para niños
