Karl-Josef Rauber

Karl-Josef Rauber (born 11 April 1934) is a cardinal of the Catholic Church, who served as a papal nuncio from 1982 until his retirement in 2009.

His Eminence Karl-Josef Rauber
Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to Belgium
Rauber in 2007
See	Sant’Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia
Appointed	22 February 2003
Term ended	18 June 2009
Predecessor	Pier Luigi Celata
Successor	Giacinto Berloco
Other posts	Cardinal-Deacon of Sant’Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia
Orders
Ordination	28 February 1959 by Albert Stohr
Consecration	6 January 1983 by Pope John Paul II
Created cardinal	14 February 2015 by Pope Francis
Rank	Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Born	11 April 1934 Nuremberg, Nazi Germany
Nationality	German
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Titular Archbishop of Iubaltiana (1983–2015) Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Uganda (1982–1990) President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (1990–1993) Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland (1993–1997) Apostolic Nuncio to Liechtenstein (1993–1997) Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary (1997–2003) Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Moldova (1997–2003) Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium (2003–2009) Apostolic Nuncio to Luxembourg (2003–2009)
Motto	"Caritas Christi Urget Nos" (The Love of Christ compels us)
Coat of arms

Ordination history of Karl-Josef Rauber
History Priestly ordination Date 28 February 1959 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Pope John Paul II Co-consecrators Eduardo Martinez Somalo Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy Date 6 January 1983 Cardinalate Elevated by Pope Francis Date 14 February 2015

Styles of Karl Josef Rauber
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal

Biography

After graduating from St.-Michaels-Gymnasium of Metten Abbey in 1950, Rauber studied Catholic theology and philosophy at the University of Mainz. On 28 February 1959, he was ordained in Mainz Cathedral by Bishop Albert Stohr. He was a chaplain in Nidda and in 1962 earned a doctoral degree in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. At the same time, he attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. At the State Secretariat beginning in 1966, Rauber was one of four secretaries of the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, Archbishop Giovanni Benelli. He was primarily responsible for the German-speaking territories.[1] Pope Paul VI awarded him on 22 December 1976 the title of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness.[2] In 1977 he was Nuntiaturrat in Belgium and Luxembourg and 1981 in Greece.[1]

On 18 December 1982, Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular Archbishop of Iubaltiana and pro-nuncio to Uganda. Pope John Paul II also consecrated him as bishop on 6 January 1983. Co-consecrators were the ex officio in the Vatican Secretariat of State, Eduardo Martínez Somalo and the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy. His motto is "Caritas Christi urget nos" (The love of Christ drives us).

On 22 January 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed Rauber President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, a post he held until 16 March 1993. In 1991, he was assigned to investigate the problems encountered in the Diocese of Chur by Bishop Wolfgang Haas.[1] He returned to the diplomatic service of the Holy See when he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland on 16 March 1993[3] and to Liechtenstein on 17 April 1993.[4] His next appointment was on 25 April 1997 as Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary and Moldova.[5] On 22 February 2003 he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg.[6] When the Church leadership in Rome passed over his recommendation of three candidates for the position of Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and Pope Benedict XVI named André-Joseph Léonard to the position instead, Rauber objected publicly and described Léonard as wholly unsuited for the appointment.[7][8]

Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation for reasons of age in 2009.

On 4 January 2015, Pope Francis announced that he would make him a cardinal on 14 February.[9] At that ceremony, he was created Cardinal-Deacon of the titular church of Sant'Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia.[10]

See also

• Cardinals created by Pope Francis

References

1. Helmut Krätzl (9 November 2009). "Laudatio für Erzbischof Dr. Karl-Josef Rauber" (PDF). kath.ch. Katholischer Mediendienst. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
2. Annuario Pontificio per l'anno 1982, Città del Vaticano 1982, S. 1936.
3. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXXV. 1993. p. 395. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
4. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXXV. 1993. p. 461. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
5. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXXIX. 1997. p. 312. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
6. "Rinunce e Nomine, 22.02.2003" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 22 February 2003. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
7. Francesco Strazzari (2010). "La scelta di Léonard – Intervista con l'ex nunzio mons. Karl-Josef Rauber". Il Regno – Actualità (in Italian). pp. 85 ff. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
8. Mickens, Robert (5 January 2015). "Francis chooses new cardinals from the margins". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
9. "Annuncio di Concistoro per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali" (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
10. "Consistory: list of titular church assignments". Vatican Radio. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.

External links

• "Rauber Card. Karl-Josef". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2017.