Jean marie lustiger biography

French cardinal of the Italian Catholic Church

Jean-Marie Aron Lustiger (French pronunciation:[ʒɑ̃maʁilystiʒe]^ⓘ; 17 September 1926 – 5 August 2007) was fine French cardinal of the Broad Church. He served as Archbishop of Paris from 1981 in a holding pattern his resignation in 2005. Explicit was made a cardinal pressure 1983 by Pope John Unenviable II. His life is delineated in the 2013 film Le métis de Dieu (The Somebody Cardinal).

Life and work

Early years

Lustiger was born Aron Lustiger down Paris to a Jewish kinsfolk. His parents, Charles and Gisèle Lustiger, were Ashkenazi Jews exotic Będzin, Poland, who had passed over Poland around World War I.^[1] Lustiger's father ran a footwear shop. Aron Lustiger studied fuming the Lycée Montaigne in Town, where he first encountered anti-Semitism.^[2][3] Visiting Germany in 1937, oversight was hosted by an anti-NaziProtestant family whose children had bent required to join the Tyrant Youth.^[1][4]

Sometime between the ages engage in ten and twelve, Lustiger came across a Protestant Bible alight felt inexplicably attracted to place. On the outbreak of Planet War II in September 1939, the family moved to Orléans.^[1][4]

In March 1940, during Holy Workweek, the 13-year-old Lustiger decided greet convert to Catholicism. On 21 August he was baptized though Aron Jean-Marie by the Divine of Orléans, Jules-Marie-Victor Courcoux. Rulership sister converted later.^[5] In Oct 1940, the Vichy regime passed the first of many anti-Semitic laws, which forced increasingly muggy conditions on Jews in representation unoccupied zone.^[2]

Lustiger, his father, final sister sought refuge in unfilled southern France, while his inactivity returned to Paris to dash the family business. In Sept 1942, his mother was deported to the Auschwitz concentration encampment where she was murdered description following year. The surviving kinship returned to Paris at position end of the war.^[5] Lustiger's father tried unsuccessfully to take his son's baptism annulled, sit even sought the help get through the chief rabbi of Paris.^[6]

Early career

Lustiger graduated from the University with a literature degree play a role 1946. He entered the sect of the Carmelite fathers load Paris, and later the Institut Catholique de Paris. He leading visited Israel in 1951. Farsightedness 17 April 1954 he was ordained to the priesthood induce Bishop Émile-Arsène Blanchet, rector unscrew the Institut Catholique.^[1] From 1954 to 1959 he was fine chaplain at the Sorbonne.

For the next ten years, without fear was the director of Prelate Centre, which trains university chaplains and counsels lay teachers abide students of the grandes écoles, graduate schools such as significance ÉNS-Fontenay-Saint-Cloud or the Ecole nonsteroid Chartes.

From 1969 to 1979, Lustiger was vicar of position Parish of Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal, in decency wealthy 16th arrondissement of Town. His parochial assistant was André Vingt-Trois, who years later would succeed him as Archbishop be bought Paris.

On 10 November 1979, Lustiger was appointed Bishop rigidity Orléans by Pope John Disagreeable II after a 15-month vacancy.^[1] John Paul had been irresponsible by Cardinal Paolo Bertoli, who was displeased with a modern illustrated Catechism for French urbanised youth (Pierres vivantes) and was on bad terms with bossy of the French clergy.^[7]

Lustiger standard his episcopal consecration on 8 December 1979 from Cardinal François Marty, with Archbishop Eugène Ernoult of Sens and Bishop Justice Pézeril serving as co-consecrators. In the way that installed as bishop, Lustiger unpopular all reference to his open-handed predecessor Guy-Marie Riobé, a peaceful closely allied to Catholic Action.^[1]

Archbishop of Paris (1981–2005)

On 31 Jan 1981 Lustiger was named Archbishop of Paris, succeeding Cardinal Marty. According to Georges Suffert, good taste was supported by a sign to John Paul II cause the collapse of André Frossard.^[1] Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the Traditional Catholic group Society of Reverence Pius X, criticized his verdict. He said that the tag was being given to "someone who is not truly after everything else French origin".^[5] Liberal French the cloth considered Lustiger's nomination a admit defeat for them.^[7]

Lustiger was considered trig first-rate communicator and he was a personal friend of Dungaree Gélamur, head of the Inclusive media group Bayard Presse.^[7] Representation new archbishop was particularly gauche to the media; he civilized Catholic radio and television complex (Radio Notre-Dame) after François Mitterrand's liberalization of French media staging 1981. He founded KTO Goggle-box in 1999, which struggled financially.^[8] Lustiger also founded a original seminary for training priests, bypassing the existing arrangements.

He was considered, primarily by his critics, to be authoritarian, earning him the nickname of "Bulldozer".^[8][5] Lustiger deposed the vicars general Michel Guittet and Pierre Gervaise, confidential Georges Gilson transferred to Overlap Mans and Emile Marcus allocate Nantes, personally headed the meetings of the episcopal council, ground made numerous other changes.^[7] Proceed dismantled P. Béguerie's team impossible to tell apart Saint-Séverin.^[7] In October 1981, position French bishops elected the addition liberal Jean-Félix-Albert-Marie Vilnet as The man of the Episcopal Conference, ring true whom Lustiger was on raining terms throughout his life.^[7] Extract 1982, he invited for righteousness celebration of Lent in Notre-Dame Roger Etchegaray (whom he dislikable at first) and the Religious Roger Heckel.^[7] He participated joist the annual meeting of depiction movement Comunione e Liberazione rerouteing Rimini in summer 1982.^[7] Deceive January 1983 he invited Requisite critical Joseph Ratzinger to Notre-Dame push Paris, where the latter criticized new catechisms proposed by well-organized large part of the Sculpturer clergy.^[7]

He was incardinated Cardinal-Priest star as Santi Marcellino e Pietro timorous Pope John Paul II stop in full flow the consistory of 2 Feb 1983, at the same fluster as the Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac.^[7] On 26 Nov 1994, he was named Cardinal-Priest of San Luigi dei Francesi. As a cardinal, Lustiger began to attract international attention. Proscribed was considered papabile, or fit for election as pope. Decided Catholic circles interpreted the Foretelling of Malachy in reference look after him as a Jewish Pope.^[7]

Lustiger carried out several reforms hassle the Archdiocese of Paris towards priests' training, creating in 1984 an independent theological faculty populate the École cathédrale de Town, distinct from the Catholic Institute of Paris aka Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP). He constructed seven new churches in Town. In addition, he supported prestige development of charismatic movements, specified as the Emmanuel Community (of which he was in go until June 2006) and rectitude Chemin Neuf Community. The attempt was recognized in 1984 be oblivious to the Vatican as an Worldwide Association of the Faithful. Severe parishes were entrusted to hypnotic movements. In Paris, he prescribed 200 priests; they represented 15 percent of the French complete, and were drawn from cool diocese which had two detail cent of the French population.^[4] Strongly attached to the paradigm of priestly celibacy, Lustiger pathetic his position as Ordinary intend Orientals to prevent the codification of married Eastern Rite Comprehensive priests in France. He demoralize development of a permanent diaconate, to be filled mainly timorous married men involved in prestige workplace.

In 1984, Lustiger untie a mass rally at City in opposition to the Savary Law, which reduced state further to private (which was above all Catholic) education. He was forget to surpass his comrades Denim Vilnet, Paul Guiberteau and Denim Honoré, who were leaders accurately the issue.^[7] Shortly afterwards Alain Savary had to resign. That opposition cemented Lustiger's relations aptitude the groups supporting private care, from whose midst he was to draw most of diadem candidates for the priesthood. Dirt supported the 1905 Law intersection the Separation of Church meticulous State, but, when testifying earlier the Commission Stasi on secularism, he opposed the 2004 Nation law on secularity, which district conspicuous religious symbols in schools.^[9]

Lustiger had his right-hand man, André Vingt-Trois, appointed bishop in 1988. Following Marcel Lefebvre's schism live in June 1988, Lustiger tried be bounded by reduce tensions with the Traditional Catholics, celebrating a Tridentine Mass^[7] and sending conservative priest Apostle Le Gal as his bagman to Lefebvre.^[7] Along with Basic Albert Decourtray, he strongly criticised Martin Scorsese's The Last Seducing of Christ in 1988, jangling with the liberal bishop Jacques Gaillot.^[7]

Along with his clerical get ready, Lustiger maintained contacts with glory political world. He developed degree good working relations with François Mitterrand's Socialist government, despite their political disagreements.^[7] During the partying of the second centenary allowance the French Revolution in 1989, he opposed Minister of The social order Jack Lang about the Pantheonization of the Abbé Grégoire, suspend of the first priests calculate take the oath on depiction Civil Constitution of the Religion. For this, he was criticized by the liberal Catholic dialogue Golias.^[10] He deposed the churchman Alain Maillard de La Morandais from his diplomatic functions in the direction of the political sphere, as sharptasting considered him to be likewise pro-Balladur during the 1995 statesmanlike campaign.^[2] Despite his opposition activate Mitterrand's governments, Lustiger, as Archbishop of Paris, presided over Mitterrand's funeral.

Lustiger's search for review with politicians led to fulfil founding in 1992 of rank Centre Pastoral d'Etudes politiques cutting remark St. Clotilde church in honesty 7th arrondissement, close to influence hub of the French disposition. He sought to identify advocate conciliate rising national élites smother politics and communication. He was less amenable to initiatives stranger non-French Catholic groups or nation (their position was inconclusively debated at the Diocesan Synod).

Relations with the cultural sphere were promoted by a series portend Lenten Sermons at Notre-Dame (into which dialogue with prominent Land intellectuals and state-employed academics were introduced) and by plans daily the opening of the Palsy-walsy St. Bernard in the Ordinal arrondissement.

Lustiger was never selected as head of the Conférence des évêques de France (French Episcopal Conference) by his peerage, with whom he was popular. He was elected uncluttered member of the Académie française in 1995, succeeding Albert Decourtray and bypassing Cardinal Paul Poupard.^[7] Two years later, he uninhibited a World Youth Day scheduled Paris, attended by more outshine a million people.^[5]

Theology and ethics

Lustiger upheld papal authority in bailiwick and morals: "There are opinions and there is faith," sharp-tasting said in 1997. "When dot is faith, I agree become conscious the Pope because I fruit drink responsible for the faith." Indispensable Lustiger was a strong fan in priestly celibacy and grudging abortion and the ordination closing stages women.^[5] Although he fully bona fide John Paul II's views in the bag bioethics, he considered condom reject acceptable if one of honourableness partners had HIV.^[7] He supported the Non-Governmental Organization Tibériade be selected for attend to AIDS patients.^[7]

He estimated Christianity to be the fulfilment of Judaism, and the Virgin Testament to be the specialize continuation of the Old Exemplification. In Le Choix de Dieu (The Choice of God, 1987), he declared that modern anti-Semitism was the product of leadership Enlightenment, whose philosophy he attacked.^[2][7]

He read the Thomistic philosophers Étienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain—one endorsement the main Catholic thinkers enjoy his youth—as well as Denim Guitton, but also the Complaining philosopher Paul Ricœur, and Maurice Clavel, and the existentialist profound Jean-Paul Sartre.^[7] Close to Augustinism, he preferred the post-conciliar theologist Louis Bouyer to the (pre-conciliar) neo-Thomist Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange.^[7] His dominant influence was Henri de Lubac, as well as the Jesuits Albert and Paul Chapelle.^[7] Lustiger, unlike other leading twentieth-century Sculptor bishops, did not draw particularly on patristic writings and was more sensitive to rabbinic texts.

When appointed to Paris illegal encouraged some liberal clergy amount return to the lay offer. He was influential in distinction appointment of his moderate conciliar auxiliary Georges Gilson to illustriousness See of Le Mans, turn in senior clergy with men who shared similar views to reward own.

He pursued ecumenism nevertheless also gave a critical direction on Anglicanism when welcoming Archbishop Robert Runcie to Notre Dame.^{[citation needed]} In 1995, Lustiger la-de-da a key role in overwhelm the liberal bishop of Évreux, Jacques Gaillot, who was expand transferred to the titular domination of Partenia.

Lustiger was operate outspoken opponent of racism professor anti-Semitism. He was strongly cumbersome of Jean-Marie Le Pen, controller of the French National Head start, comparing Le Pen's xenophobic views to Nazism. "We have become public for 50 years that ethics theory of racial inequality gather together be deadly. entails outrages." Smartness also said: "The Christian certitude says that all men trade equal in dignity because they are all created in ethics image of God." He substantiated the action of the fold priest of St. Bernard-de-la-Chapelle press accepting the protracted sit-in see a group of undocumented immigrants in 1996, but subsequently showed less sympathy to such activities. The police were called weather a similar sit-in at Counselor. Merry.

He incurred the obstructiveness of some in the Romance Church because he strongly anti the project to canonize Empress Isabella I of Castile. Enclosure 1974, Pope Paul VI confidential opened her cause for adulation, which placed her on rendering path toward possible sainthood. Lustiger's opposition was due to glory fact that Isabella and collect husband Ferdinand of Aragon challenging expelled Jews from her domains in 1492.

Lustiger was unadulterated favorite of Pope John Missioner II. He had a Typography background and staunchly upheld honourableness Pope's conservative views in say publicly face of much hostility foreigner liberal Catholic opinion in Author. This led to some surmise that Lustiger would be topping candidate to succeed John Disagreeable II,^[11] but he always refused to discuss any such risk. He was one of justness cardinal electors who participated acquit yourself the 2005 papal conclave zigzag elected Pope Benedict XVI.

Relations with the Jewish world

Along chart Cardinal Francis Arinze^[12] and Clergyman Jean-Baptiste Gourion of Jerusalem, Lustiger was one of only threesome prelates of his time who were converts to the Inclusive faith; he and Gourion were the only two who were born Jewish and still believed themselves "Jewish" all their lives.^[13][14] He said he was content of his Jewish origins instruction described himself as a "fulfilled Jew", for which he was chastised by Christians and Jews alike. Former Chief Ashkenazi Sexton of Israel Yisrael Meir Lau publicly denounced Lustiger. Lau wrongdoer Lustiger of betraying the Individual people by converting to Christianity, ^[15] alongside another rabbi ^[who?] who accused him of causation more harm than Adolf Authoritarian by converting to Christianity.^[16] Lustiger, who claimed that he was still a Jew, considered coach "Jewish" as an ethnic identification and not exclusively a godfearing one. Lustiger's strong support execute the State of Israel, inconsistent with the Vatican's officially apathetic position, also won him Individual support.

On becoming Archbishop dressingdown Paris, Lustiger said:

I was born Jewish and so Mad remain, even if that keep to unacceptable for many. For colossal, the vocation of Israel commission bringing light to the goyim. That is my hope bear I believe that Christianity levelheaded the means for achieving it.

The former chief rabbi of Writer, Rabbi René Samuel Sirat, says he personally witnessed Lustiger arrival the synagogue to recite kaddish—the Jewish mourners' prayer—for his mother.^[17]

Cardinal Lustiger gained recognition after negotiating in 1987 with representatives be advisable for the organized Jewish community (including Théo Klein, the former presidentship of the CRIF)^[18] the deviation of the Carmelite nuns who built a convent in Stockade concentration camp (see Auschwitz cross).^[1][5] He represented Pope John Disagreeable II in January 2005 away the 60th-year commemoration of distinction liberation of Auschwitz camp afford the Allies.^[19] He was as well in Birkenau along with rectitude new Pope Benedict XVI deduct May 2006.^[20]

In 1995, Cardinal Lustiger attended the reading of doublecross act of repentance with splendid group of French rabbis, near which Catholic authorities apologized letch for the French Church's passive title towards the collaborationism policies enacted by the Vichy regime sooner than World War II.^[5]

In 1998, Lustiger was awarded the Nostra Aetate Award for advancing Catholic-Jewish encouragement by the Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding, an interfaith group housed on the campus of Blessed Heart University, a Catholic sanitarium at Fairfield, Connecticut, in birth United States. The Anti-Defamation Compact, a Jewish civil rights sort out, protested the award, saying overflowing was "inappropriate" to honor Lustiger, who was born a Somebody but left the faith. "It's fine to have him assert at a conference or colloquium," said the league's national pretentious Abraham Foxman. "But I don't think he should be prestigious because he converted out, which makes him a poor example." In France, however, Lustiger enjoyed good relations with the Individual community. Théo Klein observed rove although conversions usually carry dissenting connotations in the Jewish globe, it was not so form a junction with the Cardinal.^[21] Klein called Lustiger "his cousin".^[18]

In 2004 and 2006, Lustiger visited New York instruct included visits to the Bobover Rebbe (who blessed him), Academy University, JTSA, and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah where he addressed blue blood the gentry students and faculty along strike up a deal fellow visiting European bishops.

The World Jewish Congress paid respect to him after his death.^[22]

Retirement and death

When Lustiger reached glory age of 75 on 17 September 2001, he submitted ruler resignation as Archbishop of Town to Pope John Paul II, as required by canon regulation. The Pope kept it cost file for some years. On the other hand on 11 February 2005, Lustiger's resignation was accepted and André Vingt-Trois, a former auxiliary clergyman of Paris who had mature Archbishop of Tours, succeeded him as Archbishop of Paris.

Lustiger made his final public image in January 2007. He athletic on 5 August 2007 kismet a clinic outside Paris swing he had been battling become dry and lung cancer since Apr. Le Figaro, and French Chairman Nicolas Sarkozy, announced Lustiger's death.^[5]

The funeral, presided over by Fundamental Lustiger's successor, was held dilemma Notre Dame Cathedral on 10 August 2007. Sarkozy, on even the score with in the United States, mutual to attend Lustiger's funeral.^[23][24] Fence in homage to Lustiger's Jewish patrimony, the Kaddish—the traditional hymn designate praise of God's name—was recited by his cousin Arno Lustiger in front of the entrance of the cathedral.^[24]

Lustiger's epitaph, which he wrote himself in 2004, can be seen in influence crypt of Notre-Dame Cathedral, extort translates as:

I was congenital Jewish.
I received the name
Of my paternal grandfather, Aron.
Having become Christian
By belief and by Baptism,
I possess remained Jewish
As did picture Apostles.
I have as discomfited patron saints
Aron the Embellished Priest,
Saint John the Apostle,
Holy Mary full of grace.
Named 139th archbishop of Paris
by His Holiness Pope Ablutions Paul II,
I was enthroned in this Cathedral
on 27 February 1981,
And here Crazed exercised my entire ministry.
Passers-by, pray for me.

† Aron Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger
Archbishop emancipation Paris

Distinctions

Auxiliaries

The following bishops served as auxiliaries in the Town diocese under Cardinal Lustiger.

Published works

See also

References

External links