| Styles of André Vingt-Trois |
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|---|---|
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Paris |
André Armand Vingt-Trois (pronounced: [andʁe aʁmɑ̃ vɛ̃ tʁwa]) (born 7 November 1942) is a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Archbishop of Paris, having previously served as Archbishop of Tours from 1999 to 2005. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007.
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André Vingt-Trois was born in Paris to Armand and Paulette (née Vuillamy) Vingt-Trois. His name, which translates to "twenty-three" in English, would seem to be explained, according to Vingt-Trois, by an ancestor who, as a child or baby, was abandoned and found on the 23rd day of the month. Vingt-Trois completed his secondary studies at the Lycée Henri IV and entered the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice at Issy-les-Moulineaux in 1962. He then attended the Institut Catholique de Paris, from where he obtained his licentiate in moral theology. From 1964 to 1965, Vingt-Trois performed his military service in Germany. He was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Daniel Pezeril in October 1968 and to the priesthood by Cardinal François Marty on 28 June 1969.
During his priestly ministry, he worked especially in parochial catechetics and the formation of the laity. From 1974 to 1981, Vingt-Trois was vicar at the Parisian parish of Sainte-Jeanne de Chantal. He then served as director of his alma mater of the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice until 1988, also teaching moral and sacramental theology there. Vingt-Trois participated in different pastoral movements, including the Centre de préparation au mariage and the sessions of permanent formation of the clergy. He was later named vicar general of Paris, and was charged with the diocesan formation (the cathedral school and diocesan seminary), of the means of communications (Radio Notre-Dame, Paris Notre-Dame, Centre d'Information), of the familial pastoral, of the chaplains of public education, and of catechetics.
On 25 June 1988, Vingt-Trois was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Paris and Titular Bishop of Thibilis by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 14 October from Jean-Marie Lustiger, with Bishops Pézeril and Gabriel Vanel serving as co-consecrators, in Notre-Dame Cathedral. Vingt-Trois was later named Archbishop of Tours on 21 April 1999, and Archbishop of Paris on 11 February 2005. He was installed in Paris on 5 March, and appointed Ordinary of French Catholics of the Eastern Rites as well on 14 March. On 5 November 2007, he was elected President of the French Episcopal Conference for a term of three years.
Pope Benedict XVI created him Cardinal-Priest of S. Luigi dei Francesi in the consistory of 24 November 2007. Vingt-Trois will be eligible to participate in any future papal conclaves until he reaches the age of eighty on 7 November 2022.
As a member of the Congregation for Bishops and the Pontifical Council for the Family since 12 June 2008[1] and of the Congregation for the Clergy since 2 February 2010,.[2] he participates in the plenary meetings of those departments of the Roman Curia, held as far as possible once a year.[3]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michel Moutel, PSS |
Archbishop of Tours 1999–2005 |
Succeeded by Bernard-Nicolas Aubertin, OCist |
| Preceded by Jean-Marie Lustiger |
Archbishop of Paris 2005–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |