Jean Jérôme Hamer

Jean Jérôme Hamer, O.P., S.T.D. (1 June 1916 – 2 December 1996) was a Belgian Cardinal who was Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life from 1985 until 1992.


Jean Jérôme Hamer

Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
Appointed27 May 1985
Term ended21 January 1992
PredecessorEduardo Francisco Pironio
SuccessorEduardo Martínez Somalo
Other postsCardinal-Priest of San Saba "pro hac vice" (1985–96)[lower-alpha 1]
Orders
Ordination3 August 1941
Consecration29 June 1973
by Pope Paul VI
Created cardinal25 May 1985
by Pope John Paul II
RankCardinal-Deacon (1985–96)
Cardinal-Priest (1996)
Personal details
Birth nameJean Jérôme Hamer
Born1 June 1916
Brussels, Belgium
Died2 December 1996(1996-12-02) (aged 80)
Rome, Italy
Previous post
Alma materUniversity of Fribourg
MottoFideliter et constanter
Styles of
Jean Jérôme Hamer
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeLorium (titular see)

Biography

He was born in Brussels and joined the Dominican order in 1934 taking the name of Jérôme. He received his religious training at La Sarte, a Dominican Study house near Huy (Belgium), and Louvain University. He did his military service and, during the Second World War, spent 3 months of 1940 as a prisoner. He was ordained on 3 August 1941. He continued his studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he earned his doctorate in theology. He was on the teaching staff of the Pontificium Athenaeum Internationale Angelicum for the academic year of 1952–53.[1] He had been a staff member at the University of Fribourg since 1944, where he then returned and taught until 1962.

Episcopate

He was appointed secretary of the party in 1958 Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity on 12 April 1969. Then, on 14 June 1973, he was appointed titular archbishop of Lorium and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

He was consecrated on 29 June 1973 by Pope Paul VI. In 1974, the Congregation published a "declaration on procured abortion", re-asserting the Church's opposition to the controversial procedure since the publication of Humanae Vitae. He later helped in writing the document Persona Humana on the topic of sexual ethics.

He remained at this position until Pope John Paul II appointed him Pro-Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in 1984. At that time the title of Prefect was reserved for someone who was already a Cardinal.

Cardinalate

He became Prefect of the Congregation when he was made Cardinal-Deacon of San Saba in the consistory of 25 May 1985, two days after which the full title was formally granted him. He resigned as the head of the Congregation on 21 January 1992. He opted for the order of Cardinal Priests after ten years and his deaconry was elevated pro hac vice to title on 29 January 1996. He lost the right to participate in a conclave when he turned 80 in 1996. He died on 2 December 1996 in Rome.

Notes and references

    1. Held this church as a diaconate since 1985 and opted to become a Cardinal-Priest months before his death.

    Bibliography

    • The Church Is A Communion. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1964.
    • Karl Barth. Westminster, Md.: Newman Press, 1962.
    • Karl Barth : l'occasionalisme théologique de Karl Barth : étude sur sa méthode dogmatique. Paris: Desclée de Brouwer, 1949.
    • Jean Jérôme Hamer at Find a Grave
    Catholic Church titles
    Preceded by
    Paul-Pierre Philippe
    Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
    14 June 1973 – 8 April 1984
    Succeeded by
    Alberto Bovone
    Preceded by
    Eduardo Francisco Pironio
    Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
    27 May 1985 – 21 January 1992
    Succeeded by
    Eduardo Martínez Somalo

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