Godfried Danneels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Godfried Danneels |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Mechelen-Brussels | |
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| Archdiocese | Mechelen-Brussels |
| Province | Mechelen-Brussels |
| See |
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| Appointed | 19 December 1979 |
| Reign ended | 18 January 2010 |
| Predecessor | Leo Joseph Suenens |
| Successor | André-Joseph Léonard |
| Other posts |
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| Ordination | 17 August 1957 |
| Consecration | 18 December 1977 by Leo Jozef Suenens |
| Created Cardinal | 2 February 1983 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Godfried Maria Jules Danneels |
| Born | 4 June 1933 Kanegem, Tielt, Kingdom of Belgium |
| Died | 14 March 2019 (aged 85) Mechelen, Kingdom of Belgium |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Theologian |
| Previous post |
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| Alma mater | Catholic University of Leuven, Pontifical Gregorian University |
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| Styles of Godfried Danneels |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Mechelen-Brussels |
Godfried Danneels (born June 4, 1933 – died March 14, 2019) was an important Belgian cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the main Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. He was also the leader of the group of bishops in Belgium from 1979 to 2010. He became a cardinal in 1983. He retired in 2010 when Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation.
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- Becoming a Priest
- Professor and Church Leader
- Becoming a Bishop
- Archbishop and Cardinal
- Papal Elections
- Death
- Awards and Recognition
- Other Interesting Facts
Early Life and Education
Godfried Danneels was born in Kanegem, Belgium, on June 4, 1933. He was the oldest of six children. A priest who was his high school teacher, Daniel Billiet, inspired him to become a priest.
Instead of going to a regular seminary, Danneels went to the Catholic University of Leuven. There, he studied philosophy from 1951 to 1954. He loved Leuven because it opened his mind to many new ideas.
After Leuven, he went to Rome to study Catholic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He lived at the Belgian Papal College from 1954 to 1959. He felt that Rome helped him learn a lot about different cultures. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1956, his license in 1958, and his doctorate in 1961. He was a very good student and achieved high marks in all his studies.
Becoming a Priest
Before finishing his studies, Godfried Danneels became a priest. He was ordained by Emiel Jozef De Smedt, who was the Bishop of Bruges. The ceremony took place in his home parish church in Kanegem on August 17, 1957. This date was also his parents' 25th wedding anniversary.
Professor and Church Leader
In 1959, Bishop De Smedt made Danneels a spiritual director at the Bruges seminary. He also became a professor there, teaching about church services and spiritual life. In 1960, he also started teaching about the sacraments.
Danneels became a well-known expert in liturgy. He helped put into practice the changes from the Second Vatican Council. He believed in steady, careful changes rather than sudden ones. He also became very interested in how theology and humanism (focusing on human values) connect. He wrote many articles and talks on this topic.
In 1969, Danneels became an assistant professor at the Catholic University of Leuven. He stayed there until 1978. While teaching, he also helped with the ongoing education of priests in the Bruges diocese.
Becoming a Bishop
On November 4, 1977, Pope Paul VI named Danneels the Bishop of Antwerp. He became a bishop on December 18, 1977. Cardinal Leo Joseph Suenens led the ceremony. It took place in St. James' Church because the main cathedral was being repaired.
As bishop, he asked Catholics for their ideas and visited many parts of his diocese. He used the media to share his ideas about Christian humanism. He was seen as modern in his communication. He also built strong connections with many Belgian politicians.
Archbishop and Cardinal
Becoming Archbishop and Cardinal
Godfried Danneels became the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels on December 19, 1979. This made him the main leader of the Catholic Church in Belgium. He also became the head of the Belgian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Following tradition, Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal-Priest on February 2, 1983. He was given the title of Cardinal-Priest of Santa Anastasia.
His Time as Cardinal-Archbishop
Cardinal Danneels' time as archbishop had two main parts. For the first 10 to 15 years, he had excellent relations with Rome. He was appointed to many important church groups and councils. These included groups dealing with bishops, clergy, education, and worship.
However, his enthusiasm for the Vatican's way of governing the Church lessened over time. He felt that meetings of bishops were becoming less important. He believed that decisions were often made in Rome without enough discussion.
This led to some changes:
- People started to see Danneels as more liberal, even though he considered himself a "centrist."
- As he distanced himself from Rome, his popularity in Belgium grew. He focused more on issues within his home country.
- He also spent more time on international tasks, using his diplomatic skills.
After the 2013 papal election, he felt more comfortable with the leadership in Rome. However, by then, he had already retired as archbishop.
Danneels and the Belgian Royal Family
As the head of the Church in Belgium, Cardinal Danneels led many important ceremonies for the royal family.
Royal Baptisms
He baptized several royal children, including:
- Elisabeth, the Duchess of Brabant
- Amedeo, Archduke of Austria
- Prince Emmanuel
- Prince Gabriël
- Princess Eleonore
Royal Funerals
He also led the funerals for:
- King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola
- King Leopold III
- Lilian, Princess of Réthy
Royal Marriages
He officiated at several royal weddings, such as:
- Crown Prince Philippe and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz (now King and Queen of the Belgians)
- Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este and Princess Astrid
- Prince Laurent and Claire Coombs
- Amedeo, Archduke of Austria and Archduchess Elisabetta of Austria-Este
- Archduchess Marie-Christine of Austria and Rodolphe, Count of Limburg Stirum
Danneels had good relations with the royal court. He admired King Baudouin greatly, though he said their relationship was not extremely close.
Synods and Church Discussions
Danneels took part in many meetings of bishops called synods. He played an important role in several of them.
Meeting for the Netherlands (1980)
He co-chaired a synod about the Catholic Church in the Netherlands. The goal was to help resolve disagreements and bring people closer to Rome. The final document was signed by everyone, but it did not fully solve the problems in the Netherlands.
Synod on the Christian Family (1980)
In this synod, Danneels spoke about the importance of family values. He also noted that many Catholics found it hard to follow certain church teachings. He was highly respected and was elected to a key position in the synod's leadership.
Synod on Vatican II (1985)
This meeting looked back at the Second Vatican Council 20 years later. Danneels was the main reporter for this synod. His report was praised by the Pope and accepted by almost everyone. However, its conclusions could be interpreted in different ways.
Synod for Europe (1999)
Danneels gave a powerful speech at this synod, challenging negative views about Europe's future. His speech impressed many, including Pope John Paul II.
Synod on the Family (2014)
Pope Francis personally invited Danneels to this synod. His presence was notable, even though his speech was short.
Danneels and Liberation Theology
Danneels understood the challenges of liberation theology, which connects faith with social justice and helping the poor. When the Vatican published a document about this theology without consulting him, he spoke out. He felt it did not fully understand the suffering caused by poverty and oppression. He helped prevent a condemnation of his friend, Gustavo Gutiérrez, a key figure in liberation theology.
Working for Unity (Ecumenical Activities)
From the start of his time as archbishop, Danneels worked to build good relationships with other Christian groups. He continued the strong ties between his archdiocese and Anglicanism.
He also visited the Taizé Community almost every year. He helped arrange Pope John Paul II's visit to Taizé in 1986. He continued to support Taizé even after the death of its founder, Brother Roger. In 2008, he hosted a large Taizé meeting in Brussels.
Danneels was also involved with "Religions for Peace," a group that promotes peace among different religions.
Diplomatic Efforts
Danneels was involved in several important diplomatic efforts.
He helped with discussions about a convent near the former concentration camp of Auschwitz. His involvement lasted until 1989, when it was decided the nuns would move to a new location.
From 1990 to 1999, Danneels was the international president of Pax Christi, a Catholic peace movement.
He strongly supported Bishop (later Cardinal) Monsengwo in his efforts to bring democracy to Zaire (now Congo). Danneels helped mediate between Belgium, Rome, and Kinshasa.
Danneels worked hard to improve relations between China and the Catholic Church. He invited Chinese bishops to Belgium in 1985. He finally visited China himself in 2005 and again in 2008. During these visits, he met with officials and Catholic communities.
Papal Elections
2005 Papal Conclave
After Pope John Paul II died in 2005, Danneels was considered a possible candidate to become the next pope. However, some felt his chances were lower because of declining church attendance in Belgium.
Danneels participated in the 2005 papal election. The cardinals elected Pope Benedict XVI. After the election, Danneels gave a TV interview. Some people thought his body language showed he was not happy with the new pope, but Danneels denied this.
Retirement and Successor
On June 4, 2008, Danneels reached the age when cardinals usually retire. Finding his replacement took some time. On January 18, 2010, Rome chose André-Mutien Léonard to replace Danneels as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels.
2013 Papal Conclave
Danneels was not considered a candidate for pope before the 2013 papal election, in which he participated. He found the discussions before this election to be very open and interesting. The main topic was the need for bishops to work together more closely.
The cardinals elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis. Pope Francis invited Danneels to stand with him on the balcony when he first appeared to the public. Danneels later described this election as a "personal resurrection experience."
Death
Godfried Danneels passed away on March 14, 2019, in Mechelen, Belgium. His funeral was held on March 22, 2019, at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen. The King and Queen of Belgium, along with many politicians, attended the service. He was buried in the cathedral's crypt.
Awards and Recognition
- Danneels received honorary doctorates from the Catholic University of Tilburg (2002) and Georgetown University (2003).
- In 2003, he won the "Castar" award for his positive contributions to culture, society, and politics.
- He was ranked #90 in a list of "The Greatest Belgians" in 2005.
- To celebrate his 75th birthday, the Catholic University of Leuven held a special event in his honor.
- In 2010, he was made an honorary citizen of Mechelen.
Other Interesting Facts
- His first language was Dutch, and he also spoke English, French, German, and Italian very well. He knew Latin too.
- Danneels had some serious health issues during his life. In 1971, he experienced a period of ill health due to overwork. In 1996, he had heart surgery.
- He had a very strong devotion to the Virgin Mary.
- He loved art of all kinds. He enjoyed music from classical composers like Bach and Beethoven, as well as popular bands like The Beatles.
