Roger Etchegaray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Roger Etchegaray |
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| President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace | |
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray in Sarajevo, 2012
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| Appointed | 8 April 1984 |
| Reign ended | 24 June 1998 |
| Predecessor | Agostino Casaroli |
| Other posts |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 13 July 1947 |
| Consecration | 27 May 1969 by François Marty |
| Created Cardinal | 30 June 1979 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Bishop (previously Cardinal-Priest) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Roger Marie Élie Etchegaray |
| Born | 25 September 1922 Espelette, France |
| Died | 4 September 2019 (aged 96) Cambo-les-Bains, France |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Previous post |
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Roger Marie Élie Etchegaray (born 25 September 1922 – died 4 September 2019) was a French cardinal in the Catholic Church. A cardinal is a very important leader in the Catholic Church, chosen by the Pope.
Cardinal Etchegaray worked as the Archbishop of Marseille from 1970 to 1985. After that, he moved to Rome to work for the Roman Curia, which is like the government of the Catholic Church. There, he led two important groups: the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (from 1984 to 1998) and the Pontifical Council Cor Unum (from 1984 to 1995).
He became a cardinal in 1979. He was known for being a special helper for the Pope in difficult situations around the world. He worked to improve relations with other religious leaders and governments. He also tried to prevent violence and helped people during conflicts.
A Life of Service
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Roger Etchegaray was born in a region of France called the Northern Basque Country. His family was of Basque heritage. He was the oldest of three children. His father worked as a mechanic for farms. Roger always spoke French with the accent from his home region.
He went to special schools called seminaries to study to become a priest. He studied in France and then at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. There, he earned advanced degrees in theology and church law. He became a priest on 13 July 1947.
From Priest to Archbishop
After becoming a priest, Etchegaray worked in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayonne. He helped the local bishop and later became a leader in Catholic Action, a group that helps people. He also worked for the French Bishops' Conference, which is a group of all the Catholic bishops in France.
On 29 March 1969, he became an Auxiliary Bishop of Paris. This meant he helped the main bishop of Paris. He was officially made a bishop on 27 May 1969, in the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Becoming a Cardinal
| Styles of Roger Etchegaray |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Porto-Santa Rufina (suburbicarian) |
On 22 December 1970, Etchegaray became the Archbishop of Marseille. He led the church in Marseille until 1984. During this time, he was also chosen twice to be the president of the French Bishops' Conference.
In 1984, Pope John Paul II asked him to move to Rome. He became the head of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. These groups work on helping people in need and promoting fairness and peace around the world.
On 30 June 1979, Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal-Priest. Later, in 1998, he became a Cardinal Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina, which is an even higher rank for a cardinal. From 2005 to 2017, he was the Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, a group of all the cardinals.
Working for Peace Around the World
Popes Paul VI and John Paul II often sent Cardinal Etchegaray on special missions. He was a diplomat for the Vatican, even before he had official titles related to human rights.
- He visited countries in Eastern Europe many times in the 1970s.
- In 1980, he was the first cardinal to visit China, and he went again in 1993.
- He helped improve relations with the leader of the Orthodox Church in Moscow, Patriarch Alexy II.
- He was a key organizer of the first World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi in 1986. This event brought together over 160 religious leaders from different faiths to pray for peace. It was a very important gathering.
Helping in Cuba
Cardinal Etchegaray visited Cuba in 1989. He met with Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba at the time. This meeting helped to ease tensions between the Catholic Church and the Cuban government. It showed that the Church could help with social services in Cuba.
Building Bridges with Other Churches
In 2006, Cardinal Etchegaray helped the Catholic Church give a special relic (a holy item) of St. Andrew to the Greek Orthodox Church. This was a sign of friendship and cooperation between the two churches.
Peace Efforts in the Iran–Iraq War
In 1985, he visited Iran and Iraq during their war. He helped arrange an exchange of prisoners of war between the two countries. This was a very important step in helping people caught in the conflict.
Witnessing the Rwandan Genocide
He visited Rwanda in 1993 to try and help the different groups there find peace. In June 1994, during the terrible Rwandan genocide, he went to Rwanda again. He visited the place where three bishops were killed and led their funeral. He traveled across the country to deliver a message of peace to both sides of the conflict.
Trying to Prevent the Iraq War
The Vatican did not want the U.S. to invade Iraq in 2003. Cardinal Etchegaray was sent as a special messenger to Iraq. His goal was to convince the Iraqi leaders to work with the United Nations to avoid war.
Awards and Health
In 2003, he received the Golden Doves for Peace award for his work in journalism. He also received high honors from France:
- Knight Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
- Commander in the National Order of Merit
Injuries During a Papal Event
On 24 December 2009, Cardinal Etchegaray was accidentally knocked down during a Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica. A woman jumped over a barrier and tried to reach Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope was not hurt, but Cardinal Etchegaray broke his leg and hip. In 2015, he fell again and broke his leg for a second time.
Later Life and Passing
In January 2017, Cardinal Etchegaray returned to France to live in a retirement home near his birthplace. He had farewell meetings with Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI before he left Rome.
Cardinal Etchegaray passed away on 4 September 2019, just before his 97th birthday. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living cardinal. He was also the cardinal who had served the longest without ever taking part in a papal conclave (the meeting where cardinals elect a new Pope).
See also
In Spanish: Roger Etchegaray para niños
