Paul-Émile Léger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Paul-Émile Léger CC GOQ PSS |
|
|---|---|
| Cardinal, Archbishop emeritus of Montreal | |
Léger holding a child in Yaoundé, c. 1971–1975
|
|
| See | Montreal (emeritus) |
| Enthroned | March 25, 1950 – December 12, 1967 |
| Predecessor | Joseph Charbonneau |
| Successor | Paul Grégoire |
| Other posts | Previously rector of Pontifical Canadian College |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 25, 1929 |
| Created Cardinal | January 12, 1953 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 26, 1904 Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | November 13, 1991 (aged 87) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Motto | Ipsa duce non fatigaris (Latin for 'With her (the Blessed Virgin Mary) leading, you shall not tire') |
Paul-Émile Léger CC GOQ PSS (April 26, 1904 – November 13, 1991) was an important Canadian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Archbishop of Montreal from 1950 to 1967. In 1953, he was made a cardinal by Pope Pius XII, which is a very high rank in the Church.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Paul-Émile Léger was born on April 26, 1904, in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. His father, Ernest Léger, was a merchant. Paul-Émile grew up in Saint-Anicet and served as an altar boy with his brother, Jules.
He went to school at Petit Séminaire de Sainte-Thérèse from 1916 to 1925. He then studied theology at the Grand Séminaire de Montréal from 1925 to 1929. He became a priest on May 25, 1929.
After becoming a priest, Léger joined the Society of Saint-Sulpice. He studied canon law (Church law) in Paris for a year. He then taught canon law and later became an assistant master for new priests.
Mission to Japan
In 1933, Léger traveled from Montreal to Fukuoka, Japan. His goal was to help set up a seminary to train local Japanese priests. He quickly became known as a good preacher.
He spent his first year learning Japanese. After ten months, he became the priest of the cathedral in Tokyo. He worked hard to organize the Church in Japan, which was still quite new. He returned to Canada for a short time in 1935-1936 to talk about his missionary work. He stayed in Japan until World War II began.
Important Church Roles
From 1939 to 1940, Léger taught sociology and apologetics (defending religious beliefs) in Montreal.
In 1940, he became a vicar general for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Valleyfield. This meant he helped the bishop manage the diocese. He also became the parish priest at St. Cecilia Cathedral.
In 1947, Léger was named the rector of the Canadian Pontifical College in Rome. This college is where Canadian priests study in Rome. Pope Pius XII welcomed him warmly because of a charity Léger had started to help Rome after the war.
On March 25, 1950, Pope Pius XII appointed Léger as the Archbishop of Montreal. This made him the leader of the Catholic Church in Montreal. He was made a Monsignor in 1942.
On November 29, 1952, he was appointed a cardinal, one of the youngest at that time. On January 12, 1953, he received the red hat, a symbol of a cardinal's rank. As a cardinal, he represented the Pope at important events, like in Lourdes, France (1954), and at St Joseph's Oratory in Montreal (1955).
Later Career and Changes
Cardinal Léger believed that love was more important than just having children. He also thought fathers should be responsible. He spoke about the need for more freedom of opinion within the Church.
He supported Pope John XXIII's idea of aggiornamento, which meant updating the Church to fit modern times. Léger was a key leader during the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). This was a major meeting where Catholic bishops discussed how to modernize the Church.
Léger focused on several important topics during the Council:
- Ecumenism: Working with other Christian churches.
- Family life: Including marriage and having children.
- Freedom of thought within the Church.
- The way Church services (liturgy) were performed.
- Freedom of religion: The right for people to choose their own beliefs.
- The importance of the Holy Scriptures (Bible) in the Church.
His strong views sometimes caused disagreements, even with others who wanted to modernize the Church.
In late 1963 and early 1964, Léger traveled to Africa to continue his missionary work. He wanted to help people with leprosy through his charity, Fame Pereo. He even started selling his own belongings to help the poor. He wanted to leave his position as Archbishop of Montreal to work full-time as a missionary, but Pope Paul VI did not allow it.
Léger worked with other bishops in Quebec to negotiate with the government. This led to big changes in education, health, and social services in Quebec. For example, a new Department of Education was created in 1964.
After the Second Vatican Council, Léger returned to leading his archdiocese in Montreal. It was sometimes hard to make changes because of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. His relationships with other bishops were also difficult at times.
On November 9, 1967, Léger announced he was resigning as Archbishop of Montreal. He wanted to dedicate himself to helping people with leprosy in Africa. This decision surprised many people.
Léger left Montreal on December 11, 1967. He visited places supported by his charity before settling in Yaoundé, Cameroon. There, he started about 40 aid projects. He worked almost entirely in Africa until 1979, only returning to Montreal twice.
Death
In July 1984, Léger moved into the Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice. He spent his last two years in a wheelchair. He passed away on November 13, 1991, at the age of 87. He was the last living cardinal who had been appointed by Pope Pius XII.
His Beliefs
Role at Vatican II
Cardinal Léger was a leading voice for liberalism (modern and open ideas) at the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). He helped deliver one of the closing messages of the council on December 8, 1965.
Religious Freedom
He strongly supported religious liberty during the council. This meant he believed people should be free to choose their own religion.
Against Antisemitism
He felt the council needed to make a stronger statement against antisemitism (hatred towards Jewish people). He saw this as an important step for a "renewed" Church.
Ecumenism
Léger was a cardinal who could vote for a new Pope in the 1963 papal conclave. He also spoke at a meeting about ecumenism, which is about promoting unity among different Christian churches.
Honours and Awards
- Received the Loyola Medal from Loyola College (1967).
- Pearson Peace Medal (1979).
- Prix Maisonneuve, Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste of Montréal (1983).
_ribbon_bar.svg)
