Joseph Cardijn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Servant of God Joseph Cardijn |
|
|---|---|
| Cardinal-Deacon of San Michele Arcangelo a Pietralata | |
 |
|
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| In Office | 25 February 1965 – 24 July 1967 |
| Predecessor | None: titular church created |
| Successor | Javier Lozano Barragán |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 22 September 1906 |
| Consecration | 21 February 1965 by Leo Joseph Suenens |
| Created Cardinal | 22 February 1965 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Joseph Leo Cardijn |
| Born | 13 November 1882 Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | 24 July 1967 (aged 84) Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Belgium |
| Previous post | Titular Archbishop of Tusuros (1965) |
| Motto | Evangelizare pauperibus ("To evangelize the poor") |
| Styles of Joseph Cardijn |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Joseph Leo Cardijn (born November 13, 1882 – died July 24, 1967) was a Catholic leader from Belgium. He is famous for starting a group called the Young Christian Workers (JOC). This group helped young people who worked in factories and mines.
Cardijn spent his life helping the working class. He wanted to share the messages of faith with them. He felt that the Church had forgotten these workers. Many of his old school friends, who worked in mines, felt the same way. This made Cardijn want to create a special movement to help them.
His work was strongly supported by Pope Pius XI. Cardijn showed great dedication, even after being held prisoner during World War II. This experience made him even more determined to fight for social change. He also traveled a lot, visiting places like Costa Rica and Australia. He received many awards for his work.
Cardijn played a very important role in the Second Vatican Council. He worked closely with Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. Pope Paul VI made Cardijn a cardinal in 1965. Cardijn passed away in a hospital in Leuven in 1967. The process to make him a saint began in 2014. He is now called a Servant of God.
Contents
Life of Joseph Cardijn
Early Life and Education
Joseph Cardijn was born on November 13, 1882, in Schaerbeek, Belgium. He was the second of four children. His parents were Henri Hieronimus Cardijn and Louise Maria Ester Van Daelen. Joseph lived with his grandparents for a while because his mother was not well.
His father was a coal merchant, and his mother ran a café. Both of his parents were very religious. In 1895, Joseph received his First Communion. His mother often read Bible stories and fairy tales to her children.
When he was 13, Joseph told his parents he wanted to become a priest. His parents had hoped he would get a good job to help the family. But after he pleaded with his father, they agreed. He started his studies to become a priest in 1897.
In 1903, he went to Mechelen for more education. His father died just before this. During his school breaks, he visited his old friends who worked in mills and mines. These friends often made fun of him for wanting to be a priest. They felt the Church did not care about working people.
Becoming a Priest and Helping Workers
Cardijn became a priest on September 22, 1906. He was ordained by Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier. Around this time, he decided to dedicate his life to helping the working class. He wanted to bring faith back to them, as he felt they had been forgotten.
Cardinal Mercier sent him to study sociology and political science. But in 1907, Cardijn was called back to teach. He taught in Wavre and traveled to France and England during his vacations. He met important people like Baden Powell. In 1912, he started working in Laeken, near Brussels. There, he began to create and improve groups for workers.
During World War I, Cardijn was put in prison twice. This was because of his support for his country. He used his time in prison to read the Bible and other books. He was released after the war ended in 1918.
In 1919, he started a group called "Young Trade Unionists." At first, some people in the Church did not like his ideas. But soon, his group became accepted. In 1925, Pope Pius XI met Cardijn and gave his blessing to the movement. The Pope said, "Here at last is someone who comes to speak to me about the masses!" He also said, "the Church needs the workers and the workers need the Church."
In 1924, the group's name changed to Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne (JOC), or "Young Christian Workers." This group grew very quickly around the world. By 1967, there were two million members in 69 different countries. Some people who disagreed with him called him names like "communist."
In 1940, Cardijn was arrested again by the Gestapo. He was released in 1942. He refused to leave prison unless others arrested with him were also freed. The Nazis did not agree. In 1944, he had to hide to avoid being captured again.
Role in the Church and Becoming a Cardinal
Pope Pius XII honored Cardijn in 1950. Later, Pope John XXIII also honored him in 1962.
In 1965, Pope Paul VI announced that he would make Cardijn a cardinal. First, Cardijn had to become a bishop. He was made the Titular Archbishop of Tusuros. A week later, Pope Paul VI made him a Cardinal-Deacon.
Cardijn had known Pope Paul VI for a long time. He also became good friends with Pope John XXIII. In 1963, Pope Paul VI praised Cardijn's work in a letter. In 1964, the Pope asked Cardijn for his ideas on how the Church could talk to other religions.
Cardijn was a very important part of the Second Vatican Council. This was a major meeting of Catholic leaders from around the world. He helped make sure that a document about ordinary church members was called the "Decree on the Lay Apostolate." He felt this name better showed the role of regular believers. His ideas were included in important Church documents.
Traveling the World
Cardijn traveled a lot to spread his message. In 1958, he visited Australia for the first time. He spoke at large public gatherings there. He went back to Australia in 1966.
In 1946, he made his first trip to the Americas, visiting Costa Rica. In 1948, he visited Northern Africa. In 1950, he received a special award from France called the Legion of Honour.
In 1953, he visited India and Sri Lanka in Asia. He also went to Japan and the United States. His last international trip was in 1967, when he visited Hong Kong and Japan.
Later Years and Death
Cardijn became very ill in June 1967. He had a high fever and was in a lot of pain. He was taken to the hospital and found to have a serious kidney infection. He knew he did not have much time left.
Cardinal Suenens visited him in the hospital to give him the Anointing of the Sick. On July 14, he fell into a coma. Even King Baudouin of Belgium visited him. Joseph Cardijn passed away on July 24, 1967. He was buried in the Notre-Dame parish church in Laeken. Pope John Paul II visited his tomb in 1985.
Cardijn's Legacy
Cardijn's special way of working, called "See, Judge, Act," influenced many groups around the world. These include the Young Christian Workers (YCW) and other student and youth groups. In North America, his ideas were used in Catholic youth movements. In South America, his approach helped the Liberation Theology movement.
In Noarlunga Downs, Australia, a school called Cardijn College is named after him. The school's motto comes from Cardijn's "See, Judge, Act" model. In South Africa, his ideas helped create the first black trade unions in Durban in the 1970s.
Awards and Honors
Cardijn received several special degrees and awards during his life. In 1950, he received the French Legion of Honour. Some of his other awards include:
- Honorary Doctor in Social, Economic, and Political Sciences from Université de Montréal (1947)
- Honorary Doctor of the University from Université d’Ottawa (1947)
- Honorary Doctor from Université catholique de Louvain (1951)
- Honorary Doctor in Social Sciences from Université Laval (1956)
- Doctor of the University from Université de Sherbrooke (1959)
Becoming a Saint
In December 2013, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels announced that the process to make Cardijn a saint would begin. The official request was made on December 16, and the investigation started on January 16, 2014. This process is still ongoing.
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Cardijn para niños
