Aloys Grillmeier
Encyclopedia
Aloys Grillmeier was a theologian and cardinal-deacon of the Catholic Church. Born in Pechbrunn
, Germany
, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 1937, for the Society of Jesus
. Pope John Paul II created him cardinal-deacon of San Nicola in Carcere
on November 26, 1994.
. He studied philosophy in Munich and theology in Valkenburg
in the Netherlands. He was ordained priest on June 24, 1937 in the middle of further theological studies in Frankfurt am Main. He gained his doctorate in February 1942 in Freiburg
after studying in Rome. Two days after the graduation ceremony he was conscripted into the army and trained as a medical orderly in Ulm. He was then sent to the Eastern Front
where he treated the casualties of the bitter fighting against Soviet forces. He was released from further military service in April 1944 as a member of the Jesuits. Grillmeier then began a long teaching career in fundamental and dogmatic theology, most of which was spent as Professor of Dogmatics at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology
(Frankfurt am Main), where the German Jesuits received their theological education.
He became known at the Second Vatican Council
, where he acted as theological adviser to Bishop Wilhelm Kempf of Limburg. From 1963 to 1965 he was also on the theology commission of the Council itself. He had a particular input into the drafting of the document "Lumen Gentium
", the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. It was here that he first met Cardinal Woytyla
and worked with him in writing various works, papers and documents including "Gaudium et Spes
", "Lumen gentium
", "Dei verbum
" and "Dignitatis humanae
". He retired in 1978 on his 68th birthday, but continued to write and lecture. He died on September 13, 1998 in Unterhaching
, Germany.
. In the 1970s he became an adviser to the Pro Oriente Institute in Vienna
, which promoted contact with other Christian Churches, especially in the East, and he took part in several unofficial theological dialogues with the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Pechbrunn
Pechbrunn is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 1937, for the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. Pope John Paul II created him cardinal-deacon of San Nicola in Carcere
San Nicola in Carcere
San Nicola in Carcere is a titular church in Rome near the Forum Boarium in rione Ripa. It is one of the traditional stational churches of Lent.-History:...
on November 26, 1994.
Life
Grillmeier entered the Jesuit order in April 1929 after completing grammar school in RegensburgRegensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
. He studied philosophy in Munich and theology in Valkenburg
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
in the Netherlands. He was ordained priest on June 24, 1937 in the middle of further theological studies in Frankfurt am Main. He gained his doctorate in February 1942 in Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
after studying in Rome. Two days after the graduation ceremony he was conscripted into the army and trained as a medical orderly in Ulm. He was then sent to the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
where he treated the casualties of the bitter fighting against Soviet forces. He was released from further military service in April 1944 as a member of the Jesuits. Grillmeier then began a long teaching career in fundamental and dogmatic theology, most of which was spent as Professor of Dogmatics at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology
Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology
The Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology is an academic seminary in Frankfurt am Main, Germany....
(Frankfurt am Main), where the German Jesuits received their theological education.
He became known at the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, where he acted as theological adviser to Bishop Wilhelm Kempf of Limburg. From 1963 to 1965 he was also on the theology commission of the Council itself. He had a particular input into the drafting of the document "Lumen Gentium
Lumen Gentium
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 21, 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,151 to 5...
", the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. It was here that he first met Cardinal Woytyla
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
and worked with him in writing various works, papers and documents including "Gaudium et Spes
Gaudium et Spes
Gaudium et Spes , the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, was one of the four Apostolic Constitutions resulting from the Second Vatican Council...
", "Lumen gentium
Lumen Gentium
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 21, 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,151 to 5...
", "Dei verbum
Dei Verbum
Dei Verbum was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 18, 1965, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,344 to 6.23...
" and "Dignitatis humanae
Dignitatis Humanae
Dignitatis Humanae is the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on Religious Freedom. In the context of the Council's stated intention “to develop the doctrine of recent popes on the inviolable rights of the human person and the constitutional order of society”, Dignitatis Humanae spells out the...
". He retired in 1978 on his 68th birthday, but continued to write and lecture. He died on September 13, 1998 in Unterhaching
Unterhaching
Unterhaching is the second largest municipality in the district of Munich in Bavaria, Germany.-History:Based upon the discovery of graves, the settlement of the Haching Valley can be traced back as far as 1100 B.C...
, Germany.
Legacy
Grillmeier was committed to ecumenismEcumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
. In the 1970s he became an adviser to the Pro Oriente Institute in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, which promoted contact with other Christian Churches, especially in the East, and he took part in several unofficial theological dialogues with the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Sources
- Obituary on Aloys Grillmeier, in "The Independent" http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-cardinal-alois-grillmeier-1176420.html
- http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/archives/1999May/88may5,vol.10,no.88txt/may5col.htm
- "Catholic Hierarchy.com", "Aloys Grillmeier" http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgril.html
- For bibliography see http://www.sankt-georgen.de/lehrende/grillmeier.html.