Albert Decourtray
His Eminence Albert Florent Augustin Decourtray | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal,Archbishop of Lyon | |
| Church | Roman Catholic |
| Archdiocese | Lyon |
| Installed | 1981 |
| Term ended | 16 September 1994 |
| Predecessor | Alexandre Renard |
| Successor | Jean Marie Balland |
| Other post(s) | Cardinal-Priest of Santissima Trinità al Monte Pincio Prelate of Mission de France o Pontigny(1982–1988) |
| Previous post(s) | Auxiliary Bishop of Dijon(1971–1974) Bishop of Dijon(1974–1981) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 June 1947 |
| Consecration | 3 July 1971 |
| Created cardinal | 25 May 1985 byJohn Paul II |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 April 1923 |
| Died | 16 September 1994(aged 71) LyonFrance |
| Nationality | French |
| Motto | In Simplicitate |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Albert Decourtray | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Lyon |
Albert Florent Augustin DecourtrayS.T.D.(9 April 1923 – 16 September 1994) was a FrenchCatholic CardinalandArchbishop of Lyon.
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]He was born in thehamletof L'Amiteuse nearLille,France. He entered theminor seminaryof Haubourdin in October 1940, later entering the GrandSeminaryof Lille in 1941. He was ordained on 29 June 1947 and completed his studies at theCatholic Faculties of Lillein 1948. He then went to Rome in 1948 where he entered thePontifical Gregorian Universitystudying for a doctorate intheology.Which he was later awarded in 1951 with his thesis onNicolas Malebranche.While in Rome, he was also chaplain of the church of Saint-Louis des Français.
Career
[edit]From 1952 until 1966 he served as Professor ofHoly Scriptureat the Grand Seminary of Lille. He was also responsible for the formation of young priests of thediocese of Lillein 1958. He served asvicar generalof the diocese of Lille in 1966.
He was appointedtitular bishopof Ippona Zárito andAuxiliary BishopofDijonbyPope Paul VIon 27 May 1971. He was namedBishop of Dijonin 1974. He was bishop of Dijon until he was promoted to themetropolitan see of Lyonon 29 October 1981. He was elected vice-president of theEpiscopal Conference of Franceserving from 1981 until 1987 and was then elected its president, serving until 1990.
Decourtray was createdCardinal-PriestofSS. Trinità al Monte Pincioon 25 May 1985 byPope John Paul II.He was a member of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See from 1986. He was appointed an Officer of theLégion d'honneurin 1986. He resigned the prelature on 1 October 1988. He was elected to a one-year term as president of the Council of the Christian Churches of France on 17 November 1987. He received his first prize of theDroits de l'Hommein 1988. He was elected a member of theAcadémie Françaiseon 1 June 1993.
Personal life
[edit]Decourtray had one brother, Eliane, who died at 17, and two sisters, Paule and Blanche, who both died at a young age. He died at the age of 71 in 1994.
References
[edit]- "Albert Decourtray (1923–1994)"(in French). Académie française. 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 17 November 2008.Retrieved18 January2009.
