Johannes Gerardus Maria Willebrands
Johannes Gerardus Maria Willebrands (Bovenkarspel, September 4, 1909 - Denekamp, August 2, 2006) was a Dutch Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop.[1][2]
Biography
He was ordained a catholic priest on May 26, 1934, later studying philosophy at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, became professor in 1940 at the Warmond Seminary.
In 1951, mainly on his inspiration and on his own initiative, the "Catholic Commission for Ecumenical Issues" was established. John XXIII called him in 1960 to the Secretariat for Christian Unity, where he could develop his work on ecumenism, with effects on Unitatis redintegratio. It was entrusted to him in 1965 to resolve some issues with the patriarchs of the Orthodox Church, and to Constantinople he removed the excommunication. At about this time he was also titular Bishop of the Diocese of Mauriana in Algeria, North Africa.
Paul VI appointed him a deacon cardinal on April 28, 1969; From 6 December 1975 to 3 December 1983 was archbishop of Utrecht.