Franjo Kuharić

His Eminence
Franjo Kuharić
Servant of God
Cardinal, Archbishop emeritus of Zagreb
Archdiocese Zagreb
See Zagreb
Appointed 16 June 1970[1]
Term ended 5 July 1997[1]
Predecessor Franjo Šeper
Successor Josip Bozanić
Other posts Cardinal-Priest of San Girolamo dei Croati (1983-2002)
Orders
Ordination 15 July 1945[1]
Consecration 3 May 1964[1]
by Franjo Šeper
Created Cardinal 2 February 1983[1]
by Pope John Paul II
Rank Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Birth name Franjo Kuharić
Born 19 April 1919
Pribić, Krasic, Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Died 11 March 2002 (aged 82)
Zagreb, Croatia
Buried Zagreb Cathedral
Nationality Croat
Previous post
  • Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb (1964–1970)
  • Titular Bishop of Meta (1964–1970)
  • President of the Croatian Episcopal Conference (1993-1997)
Motto Deus caritas est ("God is love")
Sainthood
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Title as Saint Servant of God
Styles of
Franjo Kuharić
Reference style His Eminence
Spoken style Your Eminence
Informal style Cardinal
See Zagreb

Franjo Kuharić (15 April 1919 - 11 March 2002) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. His cause of canonization has commenced and he has been made a Servant of God.

Biography

Early life and ordination

He was born in 1919 in Pribić (part of Krašić), in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present-day Croatia). He was educated at the Classic Lyceum, Zagreb; Theological Faculty, University of Zagreb. He was ordained a priest on 15 July 1945 in Zagreb, by Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac, archbishop of Zagreb. He did pastoral ministry in the archdiocese of Zagreb from 1945 until 1964.

Episcopate and cardinalate

He was appointed Titular Bishop of Meta and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb on 15 February 1964 by Pope Paul VI and was consecrated on 3 May 1964 by Franjo Cardinal Šeper. He was appointed to succeed Cardinal Seper as archbishop of Zagreb in 1970. In 1983 he was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. He retired in 1997 and was succeeded as Archbishop by Josip Bozanić. He lost the right to participate in the conclave when he turned 80 years of age on 15 April 1999. He was called the "Rock of Croatia".

Death and cause of beatification

He died on 11 March 2002 in Zagreb and was buried in the crypt of the metropolitan cathedral of Zagreb.

Ten years after his death, on 11 March 2012, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the Archbishop of Zagreb, announced that he would launch a process that requires the Church to examine options for the beatification of Cardinal Kuharić.

Views

Status of Medjugorje

Regarding the status of Medjugorje, Cardinal Kuharić declared that "We therefore leave this aspect for further investigation. The Church is in no hurry."[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Franjo Cardinal Kuharić". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. Glas Koncila (the Croatian Catholic Newspaper), August 1993.
Preceded by
Franjo Šeper
Archbishop of Zagreb
1970–1997
Succeeded by
Josip Bozanić