Bernardus Johannes Alfrink

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Styles of
Bernardus Cardinal Alfrink
Reference style His Eminence
Spoken style Your Eminence
Informal style Cardinal
See Utrecht (Emeritus)


Bernardus Johannes Cardinal Alfrink (July 5, 1900—December 16, 1987) was a Dutch prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Utrecht from 1955 to 1975, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1960.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Bernardus Alfrink was born in Nijkerk, and received his first Communion in 1911. After attending at the seminary in Rijsenburg and the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood on August 15, 1924 by Archbishop Henricus van de Wetering. He then completed his studies at the École Biblique in Jerusalem in 1930, and did pastoral work in Utrecht until 1933. Alfrink taught at the Seminary of Rijsenburg (1933-1945) and later the Catholic University of Nijmegen (1945-1951).

On May 28, 1951, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Utrecht and Titular Archbishop of Tyana. Alfrink received his episcopal consecration on the following July 17 from Archbishop Paolo Giobbe, papal internuncio in The Hague, with Bishops Willem Lemmens and Jan Smit serving as co-consecrators, in St. Catherine's Cathedral. While coadjutor, he announced that the Dominican chapel in Huissen, where a large amount of Catholics were giving their confessions instead of at local parishes, would be closed to the public, resulting in the dismay and violent reaction of many[1]. Alfrink succeeded Johannes Cardinal de Jong as Archbishop of Utrecht on October 31, 1955, and was named Apostolic Vicar of the Catholic Military Ordinariate of the Netherlands on April 16, 1957. He contributed to scientific publications, led the Pax Christi movement in the Netherlands[2], and was created Cardinal Priest of S. Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello by Pope John XXIII in the consistory of March 28, 1960.

From 1962 to 1965, the Dutch primate participated at the Second Vatican Council, and sat on its Board of Presidency. During one session of the Council, Alfrink had Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani's microphone turned off after the latter exceeded his time limit[3]. Viewed as a liberal[4] [5], he once said, "It is always a good thing for the Church to move forward. It is not good if the Church comes to a standstill"[6].

Alfrink was one of the cardinal electors in the 1963 papal conclave, which selected Pope Paul VI. Along with Giovanni Cardinal Colombo, he assisted Achille Cardinal Liénart in delivering one of the closing messages of the Council on December 8, 1965[7]. During his tenure, Alfrink and his fellow Dutch clergymen attacked Pope Paul's 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae[8]. He also served as President of the Episcopal Conference of Holland. Resigning as Utrecht's archbishop on December 6, 1975, he was later voted in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively.

He died in Nieuwegein at age 87, and was buried at St. Catharine's Cathedral.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] References

  1. ^ TIME Magazine. The Dominicans' Door January 21, 1952
  2. ^ TIME Magazine. Seven New Hats March 14, 1960
  3. ^ EWTN. What Went Wrong With Vatican II
  4. ^ TIME Magazine. The Council's Prospects September 14, 1962
  5. ^ TIME Magazine. Council of Renewal October 5, 1962
  6. ^ TIME Magazine. The Radical, Revolutionary Church of The Netherlands March 31, 1967
  7. ^ Christus Rex. To Rulers
  8. ^ TIME Magazine. Declaration of Independence January 17, 1969
  9. ^ TIME Magazine. Love with the Proper Stranger February 21, 1964
  10. ^ TIME Magazine. Theologian on Trial October 4, 1968

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Johannes de Jong		 Archbishop of Utrecht
1955 – 1975		 Succeeded by
Johannes Willebrands
Preceded by
none		 Apostolic Vicar of Military Ordinariate of Netherlands
1957 – 1975		 Succeeded by
Johannes Willebrands