Archbishop godfried danneels biography facts

Archbishop godfried danneels biography Godfried Maria Jules Danneels (4 June – 14 March ) was a Belgian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and the chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Belgium from to

Cardinal Godfried Danneels, Archbishop emeritus of Mechelen-Brussel (Malines-Bruxelles), Military Ordinary emeritus for Belgium, was born on 4 June in Kanegem, diocese of Bruges, in Eastern Flanders.

After his secondary studies at the College of St. Joseph in Tielt, he earned a licentiate in theology at the Higher Institute of Philosophy of the Catholic University of Louvain in , and in , a doctorate at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.

Meanwhile, on 17 August , he was ordained a priest, and in , he became spiritual director of the major seminary of Bruges. Ten years later he became professor of theology at the Flemish Catholic University of Louvain and on 4 November he was named Bishop of Antwerp by Paul VI. He was consecrated on 18 December and in the two years that he headed the diocese, he dedicated much of his time to the spiritual direction of the priests and to pastoral leadership, working assiduously toward increased collaboration between priests and laity.

In John Paul II designated him President Delegate, together with Cardinal Willebrands, of the Special Synod for The Netherlands.

During the Synod of Bishops on the role of the Christian family in the Contemporary World (), in which he represented his bishops’ conference, he was elected by a wide majority as a member of the General Secretariat of the same Synod. Thereafter, he participated in numerous synods of bishops: VI Ordinary General Assembly on reconciliation and penance (); II Extraordinary General Assembly, 20 years after Vatican Council II, as relator (); VII Ordinary General Assembly on the laity (); VIII Ordinary General Assembly on the formation of priests (); I Special Assembly for Europe (); IX Ordinary General Assembly on consecrated life (); II Special Assembly for Europe (): X Ordinary General Assembly on the bishop (); XI Ordinary General Assembly on the eucharist (); and, XII Ordinary General Assembly on the Word of God ().

He participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October ) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization and in the XIV Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World (October ).

On 19 December , he was named Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel by John Paul II, succeeding Cardinal Suenens.

Cardinal Danneels served as the Military Ordinary for Belgium and President of the Belgian Bishops' Conference ( - ).

Archbishop emeritus of Mechelen-Brussel (Malines-Bruxelles), 18 January

He participated in the conclave of April , which elected Pope Benedict XVI and in the conclave of March , which elected Pope Francis.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by St.

John Paul II in the consistory of 2 February , of the Title of St. Anastasia.

Cardinal Danneels died on 14 March