Walter Brandmüller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Walter Brandmüller |
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| Cardinal-Priest 'pro hac vice' of San Giuliano dei Fiamminghi | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed | 20 November 2010 (as Cardinal-Deacon) 3 May 2021 (as Cardinal-Priest) |
| Enthroned | 6 March 2011 |
| Predecessor | Jan Pieter Schotte |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 26 July 1953 |
| Consecration | 13 November 2010 by Raffaele Farina |
| Created Cardinal | 20 November 2010 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon (2010-21) Cardinal-Priest (2021-) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Walter Brandmüller |
| Born | 5 January 1929 Ansbach, Germany |
| Denomination | Catholic (Latin Church) |
| Previous post | President of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences (1998-2009) Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Mauretania (2010) |
| Alma mater | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
| Motto | Ignem in Terram ("(To cast) fire upon the Earth") |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Walter Brandmüller |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Walter Brandmüller (born 5 January 1929) is a German leader in the Catholic Church. He became a Cardinal in 2010. From 1998 to 2009, he led the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, which studies the history of the Church.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Walter Brandmüller was born in 1929 in Ansbach, Germany. His father was Catholic, and his mother was Protestant. He was first baptized as a Protestant. Later, as a teenager, he chose to become Catholic.
He studied at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich. In 1963, he earned a doctorate in history. His research focused on how Catholic communities were re-established in certain German regions. He also wrote about the Council of Siena (1423–1424).
Becoming a Priest and Professor
On 26 July 1953, Walter Brandmüller became a priest in Bamberg. He worked in churches in Kronach and Bamberg for several years. After that, he continued his studies in Munich.
He became a professor of Church History at the University of Dillingen in 1969. From 1970 until his retirement in 1997, he taught at the University of Augsburg. He was also a parish priest in Walleshausen from 1971 to 1998.
Contributions to Church History
Cardinal Brandmüller is an expert on the history of Church councils. These are important meetings where Church leaders discuss beliefs and rules. He started and edited a journal called Annuarium conciliorum historiae. He also began a series of books on council history, which now has 37 volumes.
He was a member of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences from 1981 to 1998. This committee helps the Pope with historical research. In 1998, he became its president, serving until 2009. He also received an award, the Cross of the Order of Merit, from the German president in 1990.
Becoming a Cardinal
On 20 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI made Walter Brandmüller a Cardinal. Cardinals are high-ranking officials in the Catholic Church who advise the Pope. Before becoming a Cardinal, he was made an archbishop on 13 November 2010. This was a necessary step before he could become a Cardinal.
Important Discussions and Questions
As a Cardinal, Brandmüller has been involved in important discussions within the Church. In 2016, he and three other Cardinals sent questions, called dubia, to Pope Francis. These questions sought clearer answers on certain Church teachings, especially regarding family life and receiving sacraments. They made their questions public when they did not receive a direct response.
In 2017, they sent another letter asking for a meeting with the Pope. They made this letter public too, after not receiving a reply. Two of the Cardinals who signed these letters, Carlo Caffarra and Joachim Meisner, passed away later that year.
In 2023, Cardinal Brandmüller, along with other Cardinals, sent more dubia to Pope Francis. These new questions were about the upcoming Synod on Synodality. They asked about the need for the synod, the blessing of same-sex unions, and the idea that "forgiveness is a human right."
After serving as a Cardinal-Deacon for ten years, he chose to become a Cardinal-Priest. Pope Francis confirmed this change on 3 May 2021.
Images for kids
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Cardinal Walter Brandmüller's coat of arms
See also
In Spanish: Walter Brandmüller para niños
