Pope Paul VI

From New World Encyclopedia
 
(15 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
{{Started}}{{Contracted}}
+
{{Images OK}}{{submitted}}{{approved}}{{Paid}}{{Copyedited}}
−
 
+
{{epname|Pope Paul VI}}
−
 
 
 
{{Infobox pope|
 
{{Infobox pope|
 
English name=Paul VI|
 
English name=Paul VI|
−
image=[[Image:Paul sextus.jpg|200px]]|
+
image=[[Image:Paulus VI.jpg|200px]]|
 
birth_name=Giovanni Battista<br/>Enrico Antonio<br/>Maria Montini|
 
birth_name=Giovanni Battista<br/>Enrico Antonio<br/>Maria Montini|
 
term_start=June 21, 1963|
 
term_start=June 21, 1963|
Line 15: Line 14:
 
death_date={{death date and age|1978|8|6|1897|9|26|mf=y}}|
 
death_date={{death date and age|1978|8|6|1897|9|26|mf=y}}|
 
deathplace=[[Castel Gandolfo]], [[Italy]]|
 
deathplace=[[Castel Gandolfo]], [[Italy]]|
−
other=Paul}}
+
other=Paul}}'''Pope Paul VI''' ([[Latin]]: ''Paulus PP. VI''; [[Italian language|Italian]]: ''Paolo VI''), born '''Giovanni Montini''' (September 26, 1897 &ndash; August 6, 1978), reigned as [[Pope]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and [[monarch|Sovereign]] of [[Vatican City]] from 1963 to 1978. Ordained as a priest in 1920, he rose through the Roman Catholic [[Curia (Roman Catholic Church)|Curia]] succeeding [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]], who had convened the [[Second Vatican Council]], he presided over the majority of its sessions and oversaw the implementation of its decrees.
−
<!--A discussion on Wikipedia produced an overwhelming consensus to end the 'style wars' by replacing styles at the start by a style infobox later in the text. It is now installed below.—>'''Pope Paul VI''' ([[Latin]]: ''Paulus PP. VI''; [[Italian language|Italian]]: ''Paolo VI''), born '''Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini''' (September 26, 1897 &ndash; August 6, 1978), reigned as [[Pope]] of the [[Catholic Church]] and [[monarch|Sovereign]] of [[Vatican City]] from 1963 to 1978. Succeeding [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]], who had convened the [[Second Vatican Council]], he presided over the majority of its sessions and oversaw the implementation of its decrees.  
+
{{toc}}
 
==Early Life/Career==
 
==Early Life/Career==
 +
Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini was born in [[Concesio]], in the [[province of Brescia]], [[Lombardy]], into a family of local nobility on his maternal line. He entered the [[seminary]] to train to become a [[Roman Catholic]] priest in 1916, and was ordained a [[priest]] in 1920. He took the solemn oath against [[Modernism (Roman Catholicism)|Modernism]] before an open tabernacle initiated by Pope Saint [[Pius X]]. He studied at the [[Gregorian University]], the [[University of Rome]] and the ''[[Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici]].'' His organizational skills led him to a career in the [[Curia (Roman Catholic Church)|Curia]], the papal civil service. He rose to the position of acting secretary for ordinary (non-diplomatic) affairs in 1944.
  
−
Giovanni Montini was born in [[Concesio]], in the [[province of Brescia]], [[Lombardy]], into a family of local nobility on his maternal line. He entered the [[seminary]] to train to become a [[Roman Catholic]] priest in 1916, and was ordained a [[priest]] in 1920. He took the solemn oath against [[Modernism (Roman Catholicism)|Modernism]] before an open tabernacle initiated by Pope St. Pius X. He studied at the [[Gregorian University]], the [[University of Rome]] and the ''[[Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici]]''. His organisational skills led him to a career in the [[Curia (Roman Catholic Church)|Curia]], the papal civil service. In 1937, he was named ''Substitute for Ordinary Affairs'' under Cardinal Pacelli, the Secretary of State under [[Pope Pius XI]]. When Pacelli was elected [[Pope Pius XII]], Montini was confirmed in the position under the new Secretary of State. When in 1944 the Secretary of State died, the role was assumed directly by the pope, with Montini working directly under him.
+
Some of his work during this period remains shrouded in mystery, most notably concerning his involvement in the diplomatic activities of the [[Holy See|Vatican]] during [[World War II]]. The unique complexity of the war-time period saw Montini procure large sums of money to aid European [[Jews]], while he is also alleged to have been involved in enabling some leading [[Nazi]] officers to escape the collapse of the [[Third Reich]]. Formally a simple administrative employee of the [[Roman curia|Vatican government]], but effectively a close supporter of [[Pius XII]], he has often been recognized as one of the most important political figures of the period.
−
 
 
−
Some of his work during this period remains shrouded in mystery, with claims and counter-claims, most notably concerning his involvement in the diplomatic activities of the [[Holy See|Vatican]] during [[World War II]]. For example, the Vatican's repeated contacts with Count [[Galeazzo Ciano]], [[Fascism|fascist]] Minister of Foreign affairs and son-in-law of [[Mussolini]], remains an issue of some criticism. Montini, who worked as a [[diplomat]], has been accused of having obtained from the Fascists, at the beginning of the war, some promises of unclear advantages for the Vatican, in exchange of its eventual support. However, many other historians dispute this analysis.
 
−
 
 
−
The unique complexity of the war-time period saw Montini procure large sums of money to aid European [[Jews]], while he is also alleged to have been involved in enabling some leading Nazi officers to escape the collapse of the [[Third Reich]] (see [[Ratlines (history)|Ratlines]]). Formally a simple administrative employee of the [[Roman curia|Vatican government]], but effectively the closest supporter of Pius XII, he has often been recognised as one of the most important political figures of the period. No official confirmation exists, but evidence indicates that he (along with [[Alcide De Gasperi]]) attempted to set up a channel of communication between Crown Princess [[Maria José of Belgium|Maria José]] (daughter-in-law of the King of Italy and wife of the Prince of Piedmont, [[Humbert II of Italy|Umberto]]) and the United States, in order to find a separate peace for Italy with the [[United States]]; the Princess however was not able to meet [[Myron Taylor]], President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s special representative to the Vatican, and no one knows if Montini was unable to organize this meeting or was unwilling to do so.
 
−
 
 
−
==Archbishop of Milan==
 
−
Montini was appointed in 1954, to the senior Italian church post of [[Archbishop of Milan]]. Traditionally such an appointment would be followed by being made a cardinal at the next [[consistory]] (when vacancies in the [[College of Cardinals]] are filled). To the surprise of many, Montini never received the [[Red hat (Catholic)|red hat]] (as the appointment to the cardinalate is often called) before Pope Pius's death in 1958; what was not known was that at the Secret Consistory in 1952 Pope Pius revealed that Montini had declined the cardinalate.<ref name="biography">[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/biography/documents/hf_p-vi_bio_16071997_biography_en.html ''Pope Paul VI : 1963–1978''], Retrieved 2 March 2006.</ref> During his period in Milan, Montini was known as one of the more progressive members of the Catholic hierachy and a friend of the working class.  This reputation, combined with his experience in the Department of the Secretary of State under Pope Pius XII, made him one of the leading figures in the College of Cardinals before he became pope.  
 
  
−
Although some viewed him as a person who might have succeeded Pope Pius, since Montini was not a member of the College of Cardinals he was not a serious candidate at that particular conclave.<ref>In theory any male Catholic, even a layman, is eligible for election to the papacy by the College of Cardinals, so technically Archbishop Montini could still have become pope in 1958. In fact, his photograph was published in Life Magazine with the other potential candidates for the Papacy, following the death of Pius. However, the cardinals in modern times invariably elect a fellow cardinal to the office.</ref>  Instead Angelo Cardinal Roncalli was elected pope and assumed the name [[Pope John XXIII]]. The new pope raised Montini to the cardinalate after only two months in office, with Montini thus becoming [[Cardinal-Priest]] of ''[[Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti]]''.
+
In 1954, Montini was appointed by Pope Pius XII to the senior post of [[Archbishop of Milan]]. During his period in Milan, Montini was known for his pro-labor policies and developed a reputation as a progressive. Although some viewed him as a person who might have succeeded Pius XII, since Montini was not yet a member of the College of Cardinals he was not a serious candidate at that particular conclave. Instead Angelo Cardinal Roncalli was elected pope and assumed the name [[Pope John XXIII]]. After only two months in office, the new pope raised Montini to the position of [[cardinal-priest]] of ''[[Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti]].''
  
 
==Pope==
 
==Pope==
 +
[[Image:Pope Paul VI Tiara 2.jpg|thumb|right|Pope Paul VI's Coronation Tiara, at the Crypt of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.]]
 +
Montini was generally seen as the [[Papabile|most likely successor]] to John XXIII. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the pope's decision to convene the [[Second Vatican Council]]. When John died of [[stomach cancer]] on June 3, 1963, Montini was elected to the [[Pope|papacy]] in the [[Papal conclave, 1963|following conclave]] and took the name Paul VI. He brought Vatican II to completion in 1965 and directed the implementation of its goals, which included the largest [[Mass of Paul VI|revision]] to the [[Holy Mass|church's liturgy]] since the [[Council of Trent]], held 400 years prior to Vatican II).
  
−
 
+
He was also the last pope to date to be [[Papal Tiara|crowned]]; his successor [[Pope John Paul I]] replaced the [[papal coronation]]—which Paul had already substantially modified, but which he left mandatory in his 1975 [[apostolic constitution]] ''[[Romano Pontifici Eligendo]]''—with a [[papal inauguration]]. In 1968 he discontinued most of the ceremonial functions of the old Roman nobility at the [[papal court]], save for the [[Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne]]. He also abolished the [[Palatine Guard]] and the [[Noble Guard]], leaving the [[Swiss Guard]] as the sole military order of the Vatican.  
−
[[Image:Pope Paul VI Tiara 2.jpg|thumb|right|Pope Paul VI's Coronation Tiara, now in the Crypt of the The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.]]
 
−
Montini was generally seen as the [[Papabile|most likely successor]] to Pope John; as the [[Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 1963|cardinal electors]] processed into the [[Sistine Chapel]] to begin the [[Papal conclave|conclave]], onlookers even whispered "il Papa, il Papa," at Montini. Montini was an enthusiastic supporter of Pope John's decision to convene the [[Second Vatican Council]]. When John died of [[stomach cancer]] on June 3, 1963, Montini was elected to the [[Pope|papacy]] in the [[Papal conclave, 1963|following conclave]] and took the name Paul VI. He brought Vatican II to completion in 1965 and directed the implementation of its goals, which included the largest [[Mass of Paul VI|revision]] to the [[Holy Mass|Church's Liturgy]] since the [[Council of Trent]] (held 400 years prior to Vatican II), until his death in 1978.
 
−
 
 
−
He was also the last pope to date to be [[Papal Tiara|crowned]]; his successor [[Pope John Paul I]] replaced the [[Papal Coronation]] (which Paul had already substantially modified, but which he left mandatory in his 1975 [[apostolic constitution]] ''[[Romano Pontifici Eligendo]]'') with a [[Papal Inauguration]]. Paul VI donated his own Papal Tiara, a gift from his former Archdiocese of Milan, to the [[Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] as a gift to [[United States|American]] Catholics. In 1968, with the [[motu proprio]] Pontificalis Domus, he discontinued most of the ceremonial functions of the old Roman nobility at the [[papal court]], save for the [[Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne]]. He also abolished the [[Palatine Guard]] and the [[Noble Guard]], leaving the [[Swiss Guard]] as the sole military order of the Vatican.  
 
  
 
In 1965 he established the [[Synod of Bishops]], but nevertheless reserved certain pronouncements to papal authority alone, including [[clerical celibacy|priestly celibacy]] and [[contraception]], both of which became the subject of controversial [[encyclical]]s, ''[[Sacerdotalis Caelibatus]]'' and ''[[Humanae Vitae]]'' respectively.
 
In 1965 he established the [[Synod of Bishops]], but nevertheless reserved certain pronouncements to papal authority alone, including [[clerical celibacy|priestly celibacy]] and [[contraception]], both of which became the subject of controversial [[encyclical]]s, ''[[Sacerdotalis Caelibatus]]'' and ''[[Humanae Vitae]]'' respectively.
Line 45: Line 36:
 
To the world Pope Paul VI is perhaps best known for his [[encyclical]] ''Humanæ Vitæ'' (subtitled ''On the Regulation of Birth''), published on July 25 1968. In this encyclical he reaffirmed the Catholic Church's traditional condemnation of artificial [[contraception|birth control]].  
 
To the world Pope Paul VI is perhaps best known for his [[encyclical]] ''Humanæ Vitæ'' (subtitled ''On the Regulation of Birth''), published on July 25 1968. In this encyclical he reaffirmed the Catholic Church's traditional condemnation of artificial [[contraception|birth control]].  
  
−
A commission composed of bishops, theologians and laity had been established by [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]] for the purpose of reviewing the teaching on birth control. In the furor surrounding the publication of the encyclical, stories appeared in the press that it was the commission's majority recommendation that the Church relax its stance on contraception. The Pope chose to discount the so-called "Majority Report" when he promulgated ''Humanæ Vitæ''.
+
A commission composed of bishops, theologians and laity had been established by [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]] for the purpose of reviewing the teaching on birth control. In the furor surrounding the publication of the encyclical, stories appeared in the press that it was the commission's majority recommendation that the Church relax its stance on contraception. Paul VI reportedly chose to discount the so-called "majority report" when he promulgated ''Humanæ Vitæ.''  
  
−
In an interview in 2003 with the Catholic news agency [[Zenit News Agency|Zenit]], the [[natural law]]yer and moral theologian [[Germain Grisez]] gave a different version of events:
+
The controversies over these two pronouncements tended to overshadow the final years of Paul VI's pontificate. However, he remained firm in his conviction and unambiguously reaffirmed and expanded on both teachings  with an additional encyclical titled ''[[Evangelium Vitae]]'', as well as in a series of 129 talks delivered at his weekly audiences.<ref>See for example, the brief overview: [http://www.christopherwest.com/theologyofthebody.asp ''What is the theology of the body?''] ''www.christopherwest.com'' Retrieved 2 March 2006. For the text see [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM ''General Audiences : John Paul II's Theology of the Body], Pope John Paul II. ''www.ewtn.com'' Retrieved 6 May 2006.</ref>
−
''The final report of the commission was not one of the documents that were leaked to the press, and, so far as I know, it has never been published. The leaked documents, which were misleadingly labeled, were among the appendices to the final report, and none of them was agreed upon by the majority of the 16 cardinals and bishops who made up the commission after it was restructured in February 1966, although they did approve sending those documents along to Paul VI.... [He] was not interested in the number of those who held an opinion but in the cases they made for their views.... Having received the commission's final report, he studied it. After about four months, he announced on Oct. 29, 1966, that he found some aspects of the majority's case to be seriously flawed. He continued studying and concluded that the commission was right in holding that the pill is not morally different from other methods of contraception. Eventually he became completely convinced that there was no alternative to reaffirming the received teaching. He then took great care preparing the document that was eventually published as'' Humanæ Vitæ. ''True, the majority of the theologians, who were then among the periti [experts] advising the cardinals and bishops, had argued that contraception was morally acceptable, and nine of the 16 cardinals and bishops agreed with their position. But virtually all the theologians and all but one of the cardinals and bishops also agreed that the pill was not morally different from other contraceptives, which had long been condemned.''<ref>[http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=38825 ''Germain Grisez on "Humanae Vitae," Then and Now''], Retrieved 2 March 2006.</ref>
 
  
−
His biography on the Vatican's website notes his reaffirmations of priestly celibacy and the traditional teaching on contraception that "[t]he controversies over these two pronouncements tended to overshadow the last years of his pontificate".<ref name="biography" /> However [[Pope John Paul II]] unambiguously reaffirmed both teachings and expanded on ''Humanæ Vitæ'' with an encyclical of his own (titled ''[[Evangelium Vitae]]''), as well as in a series of 129 talks delivered at his weekly audiences.<ref>See for example, the brief overview: [http://www.christopherwest.com/theologyofthebody.asp ''What is the theology of the body?''], Retrieved 2 March 2006. For the text see [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM ''General Audiences : John Paul II's Theology of the Body], Pope John Paul II, retrieved 6 May 2006</ref>
+
==Ecumenical meetings and travel==
−
 
 
−
==Meeting with Orthodox Patriarch==
 
 
[[Image:P6orthodox.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Patriarch Athenagoras I]] and Pope Paul VI in [[Jerusalem]] in 1964.]]
 
[[Image:P6orthodox.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Patriarch Athenagoras I]] and Pope Paul VI in [[Jerusalem]] in 1964.]]
−
 
−
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:P6orthodox.jpg|thumb|left150px|[[Patriarch Athenagoras I]] (left) met Pope Paul VI in 1964]] —>
 
 
Paul was the first pope in centuries to meet the heads of various [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] faiths. Notably, his meeting with [[Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I]] in 1964 in [[Jerusalem]] led to rescinding the 1054 [[excommunication]]s of the [[Great Schism]].  
 
Paul was the first pope in centuries to meet the heads of various [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] faiths. Notably, his meeting with [[Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I]] in 1964 in [[Jerusalem]] led to rescinding the 1054 [[excommunication]]s of the [[Great Schism]].  
  
−
This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople. It produced the [[Catholic-Orthodox Joint declaration of 1965]], which was read out on December 7, 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the Second Vatican Council in Rome and at a special ceremony in Istanbul.  
+
This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and [[Constantinople]]. It produced the [[Catholic-Orthodox Joint declaration of 1965]], which was read out on December 7, 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the [[Second Vatican Council]] in Rome and at a special ceremony in [[Istanbul]]. The declaration did not resolve the 1054 schism, but showed a desire for greater reconciliation between the two churches.
  
−
The declaration did not end the 1054 schism, but showed a desire for greater reconciliation between the two churches, represented by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I.
+
Paul VI also became the second pope to meet an [[Anglican]] [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[Michael Ramsey]], after the visit of Archbishop [[Geoffrey Fisher]] to [[Pope John XXIII]] on December 2, 1960. He described the Anglican Church as "our beloved sister Church." Along with Archbishop Ramsey, he encouraged the foundation of the Anglican Centre in Rome.
  
−
== Relations with Anglicans ==
+
Paul VI also became the first pope to visit six [[continent]]s, and was the most traveled pope in history to that time, earning the nickname ''the Pilgrim Pope.'' This trend has been continued by successors. In 1970, he was the target of an assassination attempt at [[Ninoy Aquino International Airport|Manila International Airport]] in the [[Philippines]].<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,877149-1,00.html Apostle Endangered]. ''TIME'' December 7, 1970. Retrieved April 13, 2007.</ref> The assailant, a [[Bolivia]]n [[Surrealist]] painter named [[Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores]], lunged toward Pope Paul with a [[kris]], but was subdued.
  
−
Pope Paul also became the second pope to meet an [[Anglican]] [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[Michael Ramsey]], after the visit of Archbishop [[Geoffrey Fisher]] to [[Pope John XXIII]] on December 2 1960. He was a good friend of the Anglican Church, which he described as "our beloved sister Church." Along with Archbishop Ramsey, he encouraged the foundation of the Anglican Centre in Rome.
+
==Controversies==
−
 
+
According to some critics, Pope Paul VI was habitually indecisive. For example he appeared unable to decide how to deal with the [[scandal]]-ridden American [[John Cardinal Cody|Cardinal Cody]], who was surrounded by allegations of financial and sexual impropriety. Cody remained in office until his death.
−
==The Pilgrim Pope==
 
  
−
Pope Paul VI became the first pope to visit six [[continent]]s, and was the most travelled pope in history to that time, earning the nickname ''the Pilgrim Pope''. In 1970 he was the target of an assassination attempt at [[Ninoy Aquino International Airport|Manila International Airport]] in the [[Philippines]].<ref name=manila>"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,877149-1,00.html Apostle Endangered]." ''Time'', December 7, 1970. Retrieved April 13, 2007</ref> The assailant, a [[Bolivia]]n [[Surrealist]] painter named [[Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores]], lunged toward Pope Paul with a [[kris]], but was subdued.<ref name=manila/>
+
[[Image:Pope Paul VI. 1967.jpg|thumb|Paul VI in 1967]]
  
−
==Controversies==
+
Some critics point to Paul's response to [[Marcel Lefebvre|Archbishop Lefebvre]], who challenged papal authority by refusing to accept the [[Mass of Paul VI|New Mass]] and liturgical reforms produced after [[Vatican II]]. The pope summoned Lefebvre to meetings in which he argued with Lefebvre and showed his great frustration, but he did not [[Excommunication|excommunicate]] the rebellious archbishop, as many had expected. Lefebvre was eventually excommunicated "automatically" ''([[latae sententiae]])'' for his illicit episcopal ordinations in 1988 during the reign of [[Pope John Paul II]].
  
−
According to some critics, Pope Paul VI was habitually indecisive. For example he appeared unable to decide how to deal with the [[scandal]]-ridden American [[John Cardinal Cody|Cardinal Cody]], who was surrounded by allegations of financial and sexual impropriety. Cody even invited his female 'friend' to pose in a picture with him and Pope Paul taken when Cody was being awarded the [[Galero|red hat]]. Paul changed his mind over whether to remove Cody, on one occasion contacting a Vatican official at Rome Airport, whom he had sent to inform Cody of his dismissal, and telling him to return as he had changed his mind. Cody remained in office until his death.
+
The pope's response to the critics of ''Humanae Vitae'' is also cited as an example of indecisiveness. When [[Patrick O'Boyle|Cardinal O'Boyle]], the archbishop of [[Washington, D.C.]], disciplined several priests for publicly dissenting from this teaching, the pope gave him encouragement. But when other bishops did nothing to quell dissent, the pope raised no objection. And when bishops in [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Sweden]], and [[the Netherlands]] were lukewarm in their support or even publicly expressed reservations about this teaching, the pope did not discipline them in any way.
  
−
Some critics point to Paul's response to [[Marcel Lefebvre|Archbishop Lefebvre]], who challenged papal authority by refusing to accept the [[Mass of Paul VI|New Mass]] and liturgical reforms produced after [[Vatican II]]. The pope summoned Lefebvre to meetings in which he argued with Lefebvre and showed his great frustration, but he did not [[Excommunication|excommunicate]] Lefebvre, as many had expected. Lefebvre was eventually excommunicated automatically ''([[latae sententiae]])'' for his illicit episcopal ordinations in 1988 during the reign of [[Pope John Paul II]].
+
Some of Pope Paul's statements in the 1970s seemed critical of the direction taken by the Church after Vatican II, expressing his dislike of some of the "pedestrian" language used in some translations of the New Mass. However, he did not generally indicate such unhappiness in his public statements. He did oppose [[Liberation Theology]] after the 1962–1965 Vatican Council, frowning on the [[Latin American Episcopal Conference]]'s support of the Marxist-inspired doctrinal movement.
−
<!--  Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:PapalGlovesShoes.jpg|thumb|Pope Paul's slippers and gloves<br/><small>Pope Paul discontinued the use of many traditional features of papal dress, including the papal slippers and gauntlets. Some of those discontinued by Paul were resurrected by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] in 2005.</small>]] —>
 
−
The pope's response to the critics of ''Humanae Vitae'' is also cited as an example of indecisiveness. When [[Patrick O'Boyle|Cardinal O'Boyle]], the Archbishop of [[Washington, D.C.]], disciplined several priests for publicly dissenting from this teaching, the pope gave him encouragement. But when other bishops did nothing to quell dissent, the pope raised no objection. And when bishops in [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Sweden]], and [[the Netherlands]] were lukewarm in their support or even publicly expressed reservations about this teaching, the pope did not discipline them in any way.
 
−
 
 
−
Some of Pope Paul's statements in the 1970s seemed critical of the direction taken by the Church after Vatican II, expressing his dislike of some of the "pedestrian" language used in some translations of the New Mass. But he did not generally indicate such unhappiness in his public statements. He did oppose [[Liberation theology]] after the 1962–65 Vatican Council, frowning on the [[Latin American Episcopal Conference|CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Conference)]] support to it.
 
  
 
According to some sources, as Paul became older he spoke of abdicating the papal throne and going into retirement. Some critics see this as another example of indecision, as he remained in the papacy until his death.
 
According to some sources, as Paul became older he spoke of abdicating the papal throne and going into retirement. Some critics see this as another example of indecision, as he remained in the papacy until his death.
  
−
It is rumored that [[Pope John XXIII]] referred to then-Cardinal Montini as "Our [[Hamlet]]" ''(Amleto)'', in reference to his indecisiveness. The private secretaries of both popes have denied that John ever made such a statement. Pope Paul himself reflected that description of himself in a private note written in 1978. He asked:
+
It is rumored that [[Pope John XXIII]] referred to then-Cardinal Montini as "Our [[Hamlet]]" ''(Amleto),'' in reference to his indecisiveness. The private secretaries of both popes have denied that John ever made such a statement.
−
 
 
−
:''What is my state of mind? Am I Hamlet? Or [[Don Quixote]]? On the left? On the right? I do not think I have been properly understood.''<ref>Cathal B Daly, ''Steps on my Pilgrim Journey'' (Veritas, 1998) p.</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
==Consistories==
 
  
−
Pope Paul VI held six [[consistories]] between 1965–1977 that raised 143 men to the cardinalate in his fifteen years as pope. They were held on:
+
==Consistories and successors==
 +
Pope Paul VI held six [[consistories]] between 1965–1977 that raised 143 men to the cardinalate in his 15 years as pope. They were held on:
  
 
*February 22, 1965, 27 cardinals
 
*February 22, 1965, 27 cardinals
Line 97: Line 75:
 
*June 27, 1977, 4 cardinals
 
*June 27, 1977, 4 cardinals
  
−
Up to and including the current Pope Benedict XVI, all of Pope Paul's successors were created cardinals by him. His immediate successor, Albino Cardinal Luciani, who took the name John Paul I, was created a cardinal in the consistory of March 5, 1973. After John Paul I's 33 day reign, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, created a cardinal in the consistory of June 26, 1967, took the name John Paul II. After the third longest reign in history, John Paul II died on April 2, 2005. On April 19, 2005, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected to the papacy and took the name Benedict XVI. Ratzinger was created a cardinal in the small four-appointment consistory of June 27, 1977, which ended up being Paul VI's last consistory before his death in August 1978.
+
Up to and including the current Pope [[Benedict XVI]], all of Paul VI's successors as pope were created cardinals by him. His immediate successor, Albino Cardinal Luciani, who took the name John Paul I, was created a cardinal in the consistory of March 5, 1973. After [[John Paul I]]'s 33 day reign, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, created a cardinal in the consistory of June 26, 1967, took the name [[John Paul II]]. After the third longest reign in history, John Paul II died on April 2, 2005. On April 19, 2005, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected to the papacy and took the name Benedict XVI. Ratzinger was created a cardinal in the small four-appointment consistory of June 27, 1977, which would be Paul VI's last consistory before his death in August 1978.
 +
 
 +
==Final months and death==
 +
Paul VI left the Vatican to go to the papal summer residence, [[Castel Gandolfo]], for the final time on July 14, 1978, uncertain of whether he would return. While [[mass]] was being said for him near his bedside during the afternoon of August 6, the feast of the [[Transfiguration]], he became agitated—an episode later diagnosed as a heart attack—but managed to receive [[communion]] one last time. He then fell into unconsciousness for four hours and died soon after.
 +
 
 +
Paul VI is buried beneath the floor of [[Saint Peter's Basilica]] with the other popes. In his will, he requested to be buried in the "true earth" and therefore, he does not have an ornate sarcophagus but an in-ground grave, according to his wishes.
  
 +
==Legacy==
 +
Pope Paul VI was a major figure in the modern history of the Roman Catholic [[papacy]]. Reviled by traditionalists for implementing the reforms of the [[Second Vatican Council]], he was also a lightning rod for liberals for failing to modernize Church teaching on priestly [[celibacy]], [[birth control]], and the [[ordination]] of women. He increased the [[Catholic Church]]'s awareness of the need for international development with his encyclical on the ''Progress of People'' and traveled extensively as the first "Pilgrim Pope," encouraging the growth of an indigenous Church, particularly in Africa and Asia. The 143 cardinals he personally created (appointed) as pope are perhaps his most lasting legacy along with his outreach to the Orthodox Church. His meetings with the heads of various Eastern Orthodox faiths and especially with Ecumenical Patriarch [[Athenagoras I]] made a significant mark towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople.
  
 +
The diocesan process for beatification of Paul VI was begun on May 11, 1993 by Pope John Paul II. He was given the title of Servant of God as the first of four steps toward possible [[canonization]]. At the same time, it must be recognized that there is far less popular enthusiasm for Paul's canonization than for that of either [[John XXIII]] and [[John Paul II]].
  
−
==Encyclicals==
+
===Encyclicals ''(www.vatican.va)''===
 
* [[Ecclesiam Suam]] (August 6, 1964) [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_06081964_ecclesiam_en.html]
 
* [[Ecclesiam Suam]] (August 6, 1964) [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_06081964_ecclesiam_en.html]
 
* [[Mense Maio]] (April 29, 1965) [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_29041965_mense-maio_en.html]
 
* [[Mense Maio]] (April 29, 1965) [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_29041965_mense-maio_en.html]
Line 110: Line 96:
 
* [[Humanae Vitae]] (July 25, 1968) [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html]
 
* [[Humanae Vitae]] (July 25, 1968) [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html]
  
−
==Final months and death==
+
==Notes==
 +
<references/>
  
−
Pope Paul VI left the Vatican to go to the Papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, for the final time on July 14, 1978, uncertain of whether he would return. While Mass was being said for him near his bedside during the afternoon of August 6, the feast of the Transfiguration, he became agitated, but managed to receive Communion one last time. He soon fell into unconsciousness for four hours and died soon after. The agitation had been a heart attack. Paul VI is buried beneath the floor of Saint Peter's Basilica with the other popes. In his will, he requested to be buried in the "true earth" and therefore, he does not have an ornate sarcophagus but an in-ground grave, according to his wishes. <ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Pope Paul VI Is Dead of a Heart Attack at 80; Guided the Church Through Era of Change |url=http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0926.html  |quote=In contrast to Pope John XXIII, his predecessor, Paul VI was not naturally gregarious and innovative. He was the consummate bureaucrat in his Vatican career and not given to striking out in new directions. |publisher=[[New York Times]] |date=August 7, 1978 |accessdate=2007-07-21 }}</ref>
+
==References==
  
−
==Legacy==
+
* Hebblethwaite, Peter. ''Paul VI: The First Modern Pope.'' Paulist Press, 1993. ISBN 978-0809104611.
−
Pope Paul VI was a major figure in the history of the Roman Catholic papacy. Reviled by traditionalists for implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he was also a lightning rod for liberals for failing to modernize Church teaching on priestly celibacy, birth control, and the ordination of women. His encyclical ''On Human Life'', which reaffirmed the Church's ban on birth control is a classic example of a document that received a poor press. In retrospect, it is now seen as a prophetic document that foresaw the decline in morality in the latter part of the 20th century. Paul VI was a highly cultured man, somewhat reserved, but with a flair for the dramatic gesture. He sold his coronation tiara and donated the money to the poor. On his first visit to the United States in October 1965, he knelt down and kissed the ground before pleading "Never Again War!" before the United Nations. He increased the Caholic Church's awareness of the need for international development with his encyclical on the ''Progress of People''and travelled extensively, encouraging the growth of an indigenous Church in Africa and Asia. Henry Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State, called him one of the most thoughtful and sensitive people he ever met. Following the kidnapping of his friend, Aldo Moro, a leader of the Christian Democratic Party in Italy, he even offered his own life in exchange. This reaction was in stark contrast to the seeming indifference of the Italian government.  
+
* Pope Paul VI. ''Our name is Peter: An anthology of key teachings of Pope Paul VI.'' Franciscan Herald Press, 1977. ISBN 978-0819906663.
 +
* Stransky, Thomas F. (Editor), Sheerin, John B. (Editor). Paulist Press, 1981. ''Doing the Truth in Charity: Statements of Popes Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (Ecumenical Documents I, 1982).'' ISBN 978-0809123988.
 +
* ''The Book of the Gospels: The Roman Missal Restored by Decree of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican and Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised by Order.'' Liturgical Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0814625729.
  
−
The diocesan process for beatification of Servant of God Paul VI began on May 11, 1993 by Pope John Paul II. The title of Servant of God is the first of four steps toward possible [[canonization]]. At the same time, it must be recognized that there is far less popular enthusiasm for Paul's canonization than for that of John XXIII and John Paul II. This is likely due to the unsettled state of his legacy, combined with his own retiring and indecisive nature. Any serious move toward actual canonization, therefore, is likely to lie in the distant future.
 
  
−
==Notes==
+
==External links==
−
{{reflist}}
+
All links retrieved November 22, 2022.
−
 
 
−
==References==
 
−
*{{cite book|first=William M.|last= Alnor|title=Soothsayers of the second Advent}}
 
−
*{{cite book|first= J.L.|last=Gonzalez|coauthors=T. Perez|title=Paul VI|year=1964|publisher=Paulist Press}}
 
−
*{{cite book|first= Peter |last=Hebblethwaite|title=Paul VI: The First Modern Pope|publisher=Paulist Press|year=1993|id=ISBN 0-8091-0461-X}}
 
  
−
==Encyclicals on Vatican site==
+
*[http://www.goodmorals.org/smith6.htm Pro-''Humanæ Vitæ'' analysis by Janet Smith, Former Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas] ''www.goodmorals.org''
 +
*[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/peopleevents/e_humvit.html American attitudes towards ''Humanæ Vitæ''] ''www.pbs.org''
 +
*[https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/pope_paul_vi Quotes of Pope Paul VI] ''www.brainyquote.com''
 +
*[https://www.saint-mike.org/library/papal_library/paulvi/paul_vi.html The writings of Pope Paul VI] ''www.saint-mike.org''
 +
*[http://www.tldm.org/News3/impostor.htm Website comparing pictures of Pope Paul VI to 'prove' he had been replaced by an actor while the real Pope Paul was 'kept drugged' in the Vatican] ''www.tldm.org''
 +
* [http://www.intratext.com/Catalogo/Autori/AUT288.HTM Pope Paul VI]: text, concordances and frequency list. ''www.intratext.com''
 +
* [http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/01_01_1963-1978-_Paulus_VI,_Servus_Dei.html Pope Paul VI's Multilingual Opera Omnia] ''www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu''
 +
*[http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=38825 ''Germain Grisez on "Humanae Vitae," Then and Now''] ''www.zenit.org''
 +
;Encyclicals on Vatican site ''www.vatican.va''
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_06081964_ecclesiam_en.html ''Ecclesiam Suam'' (August 6, 1964)]
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_06081964_ecclesiam_en.html ''Ecclesiam Suam'' (August 6, 1964)]
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_29041965_mense-maio_en.html ''Mense Maio'' (April 29, 1965)]
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_29041965_mense-maio_en.html ''Mense Maio'' (April 29, 1965)]
Line 133: Line 124:
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_15091966_christi-matri_en.html ''Christi Matri'' (September 15, 1966)]
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_15091966_christi-matri_en.html ''Christi Matri'' (September 15, 1966)]
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_26031967_populorum_en.html ''Populorum Progressio'' (March 26, 1967)]
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_26031967_populorum_en.html ''Populorum Progressio'' (March 26, 1967)]
−
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_24061967_sacerdotalis_en.html ''Sacerdotalis Caelibatus'' (June 24, 1967)]
 
−
*[http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html ''Humanæ Vitæ'' (July 25, 1968)]
 
  
−
==External links==
 
−
{{wikisourcecat}}
 
−
*[http://www.catholic-pages.com/dir/paul6_docs.asp A list of all Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Constitutions, Encyclicals and documents issued, as well as his Last Will and Testament]
 
−
*[http://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology/WOJTLAHV.HTM THE TRUTH OF THE ENCYCLICAL "HUMANÆ VITÆ" by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla ([[Pope John Paul II]])]
 
−
*[http://www.goodmorals.org/smith6.htm Pro-''Humanæ Vitæ'' analysis by Janet Smith, Former Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas]
 
−
*[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/peopleevents/e_humvit.html American attitudes towards ''Humanæ Vitæ'']
 
−
*[http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/a130884.html Quotes of Pope Paul VI]
 
−
*[http://www.saint-mike.org/Library/Papal_Library/PaulVI/Paul_VI.html The writings of Pope Paul VI]
 
−
*[http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Grottoes/Paul%20VI/Tomb%20of%20Paul%20VI.htm Tomb of Paul VI - Vatican Grottoes]
 
−
*[http://www.roses.org/directives/direct50.htm Claims that Pope Paul VI was 'replaced' by an imposter in 1972]
 
−
*[http://www.tldm.org/News3/impostor.htm Website comparing pictures of Pope Paul VI to 'prove' he had been replaced by an actor while the real Pope Paul was 'kept drugged' in the Vatican]
 
−
* [http://www.intratext.com/Catalogo/Autori/AUT288.HTM Pope Paul VI]: text, concordances and frequency list
 
−
* [http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/01_01_1963-1978-_Paulus_VI,_Servus_Dei.html Pope Paul VI's Multilingual Opera Omnia]
 
−
 
−
;Video on YouTube - Italian documentaries (English subtitled)
 
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li6OPaZLeMo Paulus VI, a forgotten pope]
 
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L8z8yKn930 The assassination attempt of Paulus VI]
 
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIztLx4ZG8A The last years of Paulus VI (G.B. Montini 1974-78)]
 
  
  
Line 168: Line 139:
 
{{Popes}}
 
{{Popes}}
  
−
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul 6}}
+
 
 
[[Category:biography]]
 
[[Category:biography]]
 
[[Category:religion]]
 
[[Category:religion]]
 
{{Credit|174561570}}
 
{{Credit|174561570}}

Latest revision as of 01:36, 23 November 2022

Paul VI
Paulus VI.jpg
Birth name Giovanni Battista
Enrico Antonio
Maria Montini
Papacy began June 21, 1963
Papacy ended August 6, 1978
Predecessor John XXIII
Successor John Paul I
Born September 26 1897(1897-09-26)
Concesio, Italy
Died August 6 1978 (aged 80)
Castel Gandolfo, Italy
Other popes named Paul

Pope Paul VI (Latin: Paulus PP. VI; Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Montini (September 26, 1897 – August 6, 1978), reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. Ordained as a priest in 1920, he rose through the Roman Catholic Curia succeeding John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he presided over the majority of its sessions and oversaw the implementation of its decrees.

Early Life/Career

Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini was born in Concesio, in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, into a family of local nobility on his maternal line. He entered the seminary to train to become a Roman Catholic priest in 1916, and was ordained a priest in 1920. He took the solemn oath against Modernism before an open tabernacle initiated by Pope Saint Pius X. He studied at the Gregorian University, the University of Rome and the Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici. His organizational skills led him to a career in the Curia, the papal civil service. He rose to the position of acting secretary for ordinary (non-diplomatic) affairs in 1944.

Some of his work during this period remains shrouded in mystery, most notably concerning his involvement in the diplomatic activities of the Vatican during World War II. The unique complexity of the war-time period saw Montini procure large sums of money to aid European Jews, while he is also alleged to have been involved in enabling some leading Nazi officers to escape the collapse of the Third Reich. Formally a simple administrative employee of the Vatican government, but effectively a close supporter of Pius XII, he has often been recognized as one of the most important political figures of the period.

In 1954, Montini was appointed by Pope Pius XII to the senior post of Archbishop of Milan. During his period in Milan, Montini was known for his pro-labor policies and developed a reputation as a progressive. Although some viewed him as a person who might have succeeded Pius XII, since Montini was not yet a member of the College of Cardinals he was not a serious candidate at that particular conclave. Instead Angelo Cardinal Roncalli was elected pope and assumed the name Pope John XXIII. After only two months in office, the new pope raised Montini to the position of cardinal-priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti.

Pope

Pope Paul VI's Coronation Tiara, at the Crypt of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Montini was generally seen as the most likely successor to John XXIII. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the pope's decision to convene the Second Vatican Council. When John died of stomach cancer on June 3, 1963, Montini was elected to the papacy in the following conclave and took the name Paul VI. He brought Vatican II to completion in 1965 and directed the implementation of its goals, which included the largest revision to the church's liturgy since the Council of Trent, held 400 years prior to Vatican II).

He was also the last pope to date to be crowned; his successor Pope John Paul I replaced the papal coronation—which Paul had already substantially modified, but which he left mandatory in his 1975 apostolic constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo—with a papal inauguration. In 1968 he discontinued most of the ceremonial functions of the old Roman nobility at the papal court, save for the Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne. He also abolished the Palatine Guard and the Noble Guard, leaving the Swiss Guard as the sole military order of the Vatican.

In 1965 he established the Synod of Bishops, but nevertheless reserved certain pronouncements to papal authority alone, including priestly celibacy and contraception, both of which became the subject of controversial encyclicals, Sacerdotalis Caelibatus and Humanae Vitae respectively.

Humanæ Vitæ

Coat of arms of Pope Paul VI in fleur de lys

To the world Pope Paul VI is perhaps best known for his encyclical Humanæ Vitæ (subtitled On the Regulation of Birth), published on July 25 1968. In this encyclical he reaffirmed the Catholic Church's traditional condemnation of artificial birth control.

A commission composed of bishops, theologians and laity had been established by John XXIII for the purpose of reviewing the teaching on birth control. In the furor surrounding the publication of the encyclical, stories appeared in the press that it was the commission's majority recommendation that the Church relax its stance on contraception. Paul VI reportedly chose to discount the so-called "majority report" when he promulgated Humanæ Vitæ.

The controversies over these two pronouncements tended to overshadow the final years of Paul VI's pontificate. However, he remained firm in his conviction and unambiguously reaffirmed and expanded on both teachings with an additional encyclical titled Evangelium Vitae, as well as in a series of 129 talks delivered at his weekly audiences.[1]

Ecumenical meetings and travel

Patriarch Athenagoras I and Pope Paul VI in Jerusalem in 1964.

Paul was the first pope in centuries to meet the heads of various Eastern Orthodox faiths. Notably, his meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I in 1964 in Jerusalem led to rescinding the 1054 excommunications of the Great Schism.

This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople. It produced the Catholic-Orthodox Joint declaration of 1965, which was read out on December 7, 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the Second Vatican Council in Rome and at a special ceremony in Istanbul. The declaration did not resolve the 1054 schism, but showed a desire for greater reconciliation between the two churches.

Paul VI also became the second pope to meet an Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, after the visit of Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher to Pope John XXIII on December 2, 1960. He described the Anglican Church as "our beloved sister Church." Along with Archbishop Ramsey, he encouraged the foundation of the Anglican Centre in Rome.

Paul VI also became the first pope to visit six continents, and was the most traveled pope in history to that time, earning the nickname the Pilgrim Pope. This trend has been continued by successors. In 1970, he was the target of an assassination attempt at Manila International Airport in the Philippines.[2] The assailant, a Bolivian Surrealist painter named Benjamín Mendoza y Amor Flores, lunged toward Pope Paul with a kris, but was subdued.

Controversies

According to some critics, Pope Paul VI was habitually indecisive. For example he appeared unable to decide how to deal with the scandal-ridden American Cardinal Cody, who was surrounded by allegations of financial and sexual impropriety. Cody remained in office until his death.

Paul VI in 1967

Some critics point to Paul's response to Archbishop Lefebvre, who challenged papal authority by refusing to accept the New Mass and liturgical reforms produced after Vatican II. The pope summoned Lefebvre to meetings in which he argued with Lefebvre and showed his great frustration, but he did not excommunicate the rebellious archbishop, as many had expected. Lefebvre was eventually excommunicated "automatically" (latae sententiae) for his illicit episcopal ordinations in 1988 during the reign of Pope John Paul II.

The pope's response to the critics of Humanae Vitae is also cited as an example of indecisiveness. When Cardinal O'Boyle, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., disciplined several priests for publicly dissenting from this teaching, the pope gave him encouragement. But when other bishops did nothing to quell dissent, the pope raised no objection. And when bishops in Canada, France, Sweden, and the Netherlands were lukewarm in their support or even publicly expressed reservations about this teaching, the pope did not discipline them in any way.

Some of Pope Paul's statements in the 1970s seemed critical of the direction taken by the Church after Vatican II, expressing his dislike of some of the "pedestrian" language used in some translations of the New Mass. However, he did not generally indicate such unhappiness in his public statements. He did oppose Liberation Theology after the 1962–1965 Vatican Council, frowning on the Latin American Episcopal Conference's support of the Marxist-inspired doctrinal movement.

According to some sources, as Paul became older he spoke of abdicating the papal throne and going into retirement. Some critics see this as another example of indecision, as he remained in the papacy until his death.

It is rumored that Pope John XXIII referred to then-Cardinal Montini as "Our Hamlet" (Amleto), in reference to his indecisiveness. The private secretaries of both popes have denied that John ever made such a statement.

Consistories and successors

Pope Paul VI held six consistories between 1965–1977 that raised 143 men to the cardinalate in his 15 years as pope. They were held on:

  • February 22, 1965, 27 cardinals
  • June 26, 1967, 27 cardinals
  • April 28, 1969, 34 cardinals
  • March 5, 1973, 30 cardinals
  • May 24, 1976, 21 cardinals
  • June 27, 1977, 4 cardinals

Up to and including the current Pope Benedict XVI, all of Paul VI's successors as pope were created cardinals by him. His immediate successor, Albino Cardinal Luciani, who took the name John Paul I, was created a cardinal in the consistory of March 5, 1973. After John Paul I's 33 day reign, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, created a cardinal in the consistory of June 26, 1967, took the name John Paul II. After the third longest reign in history, John Paul II died on April 2, 2005. On April 19, 2005, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected to the papacy and took the name Benedict XVI. Ratzinger was created a cardinal in the small four-appointment consistory of June 27, 1977, which would be Paul VI's last consistory before his death in August 1978.

Final months and death

Paul VI left the Vatican to go to the papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, for the final time on July 14, 1978, uncertain of whether he would return. While mass was being said for him near his bedside during the afternoon of August 6, the feast of the Transfiguration, he became agitated—an episode later diagnosed as a heart attack—but managed to receive communion one last time. He then fell into unconsciousness for four hours and died soon after.

Paul VI is buried beneath the floor of Saint Peter's Basilica with the other popes. In his will, he requested to be buried in the "true earth" and therefore, he does not have an ornate sarcophagus but an in-ground grave, according to his wishes.

Legacy

Pope Paul VI was a major figure in the modern history of the Roman Catholic papacy. Reviled by traditionalists for implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he was also a lightning rod for liberals for failing to modernize Church teaching on priestly celibacy, birth control, and the ordination of women. He increased the Catholic Church's awareness of the need for international development with his encyclical on the Progress of People and traveled extensively as the first "Pilgrim Pope," encouraging the growth of an indigenous Church, particularly in Africa and Asia. The 143 cardinals he personally created (appointed) as pope are perhaps his most lasting legacy along with his outreach to the Orthodox Church. His meetings with the heads of various Eastern Orthodox faiths and especially with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I made a significant mark towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople.

The diocesan process for beatification of Paul VI was begun on May 11, 1993 by Pope John Paul II. He was given the title of Servant of God as the first of four steps toward possible canonization. At the same time, it must be recognized that there is far less popular enthusiasm for Paul's canonization than for that of either John XXIII and John Paul II.

Encyclicals (www.vatican.va)

  • Ecclesiam Suam (August 6, 1964) [1]
  • Mense Maio (April 29, 1965) [2]
  • Mysterium Fidei (September 3, 1965) [3]
  • Christi Matri (September 15, 1966) [4]
  • Populorum Progressio (March 26, 1967) [5]
  • Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (June 24, 1967) [6]
  • Humanae Vitae (July 25, 1968) [7]

Notes

  1. ↑ See for example, the brief overview: What is the theology of the body? www.christopherwest.com Retrieved 2 March 2006. For the text see General Audiences : John Paul II's Theology of the Body, Pope John Paul II. www.ewtn.com Retrieved 6 May 2006.
  2. ↑ Apostle Endangered. TIME December 7, 1970. Retrieved April 13, 2007.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Hebblethwaite, Peter. Paul VI: The First Modern Pope. Paulist Press, 1993. ISBN 978-0809104611.
  • Pope Paul VI. Our name is Peter: An anthology of key teachings of Pope Paul VI. Franciscan Herald Press, 1977. ISBN 978-0819906663.
  • Stransky, Thomas F. (Editor), Sheerin, John B. (Editor). Paulist Press, 1981. Doing the Truth in Charity: Statements of Popes Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (Ecumenical Documents I, 1982). ISBN 978-0809123988.
  • The Book of the Gospels: The Roman Missal Restored by Decree of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican and Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised by Order. Liturgical Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0814625729.


External links

All links retrieved November 22, 2022.

Encyclicals on Vatican site www.vatican.va


Roman Catholic Popes
Preceded by:
Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster 		Archbishop of Milan
1953 – 1963 		Succeeded by: Giovanni Cardinal Colombo
Preceded by:
John XXIII 		Pope
1963 – 1978 		Succeeded by: John Paul I

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

Retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Paul_VI&oldid=1088702

Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details.
Copyright Logo
Powered by MediaWiki