Lay cardinal
Encyclopedia
In the Roman
Catholic Church, a "lay cardinal" was a cardinal
who had never been given major orders
, i.e. who had never been ordained a deacon, priest, or bishop.
Properly speaking these cardinals were not laymen, since they were all given what was called first tonsure, by which at that time one became a cleric
, and cease to be a layman. In addition they were given minor orders
, which were no obstacle to marrying or to living in a marriage previously contracted. The freedom to marry and to live in marriage is doubtless the reason that cardinals who were not in major orders were popularly, though inaccurately, referred to as lay cardinals.
Teodolfo Mertel
, a lawyer and layman, was named cardinal by Pope Pius IX
in 1858. He was not a lay cardinal for long, as he received ordination to the diaconate the same year. When he died in 1899 he was the last non-priest cardinal. (Giacomo Antonelli
, who died in 1876 as Pius IX's Cardinal Secretary of State
, remained a deacon when named cardinal in 1847.)
In 1968 Pope Paul VI
seriously considered appointing the French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain
a lay cardinal.
after "bishop
" to which a man may be ordained, as "bishop" comes after "priest
" and "priest" after "deacon
". In fact, however, the position of cardinal is not an order to which one can be ordained, but simply a honorific office in the Church.
The original "cardinals" in the first Christian centuries were friends and counsellors of the Bishop of Rome. Some were ordained deacons or priests and some were not. In those days of persecution these men took on the duty of standing at the door of the house where the agape
feast, as the Mass was then called, was being celebrated. They admitted or rejected people hoping to attend the Sacred Liturgy. They also kept watch for soldiers or informers who might interrupt the gathering. Since the word for "hinge" in Latin is cardo
they became known as 'hingemen" - cardinals. Soon many bishops called their advisors "cardinals" but, in time, the Pope decreed that only the advisors of the Bishop of Rome could be known by the title, "cardinal".
The same rule is repeated in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which adds that those who are not already bishops are to receive episcopal ordination. Sometimes a priest who has been nominated a cardinal asks for and obtains dispensation from the obligation to be ordained a bishop upon his appointment. This privilege was requested by the celebrated theologian, Father Avery Dulles, upon being named cardinal by Pope John Paul II
in 2001 who readily granted the favor. Subsequently invited a meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB) in 2002, Cardinal Dulles at one point asked for recognition to speak to the bishops from the floor. His quip that he was there "under false pretenses" was greeted by much laughter.
With the motu proprio
Ministeria quaedam of 15 August 1972 Pope Paul VI
ended the conferral of first tonsure and laid down that entry into the clerical state would instead be by ordination
as deacon
.
Roman Catholic (term)
The term Roman Catholic appeared in the English language at the beginning of the 17th century, to differentiate specific groups of Christians in communion with the Pope from others; comparable terms in other languages already existed...
Catholic Church, a "lay cardinal" was a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
who had never been given major orders
Major orders
The term major orders or sacred orders was a part of the clerical terminology of the Roman Catholic Church until shortly after the Second Vatican Council, when the use widely disappeared due to reform of the clerical structure. During the Counter-reformation, the Council of Trent issued a decree...
, i.e. who had never been ordained a deacon, priest, or bishop.
Properly speaking these cardinals were not laymen, since they were all given what was called first tonsure, by which at that time one became a cleric
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
, and cease to be a layman. In addition they were given minor orders
Minor orders
The minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. The most recognized minor orders are porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. In the Latin rite Catholic Church, the minor orders were in most cases replaced by "instituted" ministries of lector and acolyte, though communities that use...
, which were no obstacle to marrying or to living in a marriage previously contracted. The freedom to marry and to live in marriage is doubtless the reason that cardinals who were not in major orders were popularly, though inaccurately, referred to as lay cardinals.
Examples
Ferdinando I de' Medici, was a lay cardinal for twenty-six years. Even after he succeeded his brother Francesco I de' Medici, as Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1587, he nevertheless remained a cardinal until he married Christina of Lorraine two years later.Teodolfo Mertel
Teodolfo Mertel
Teodolfo Mertel was a lawyer and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the last lay cardinal.Pope Pius IX made him a Cardinal-Deacon of S. Eustachio on 15 March 1858. Two months later on May 16, Pope Pius IX ordained him as a deacon...
, a lawyer and layman, was named cardinal by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
in 1858. He was not a lay cardinal for long, as he received ordination to the diaconate the same year. When he died in 1899 he was the last non-priest cardinal. (Giacomo Antonelli
Giacomo Antonelli
Giacomo Antonelli was an Italian cardinal deacon. He was the Cardinal Secretary of State from 1848 until his death; he played a key role in Italian politics, resisting the unification of Italy and affecting Roman Catholic interests in European affairs...
, who died in 1876 as Pius IX's Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
, remained a deacon when named cardinal in 1847.)
In 1968 Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
seriously considered appointing the French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain was a French Catholic philosopher. Raised as a Protestant, he converted to Catholicism in 1906. An author of more than 60 books, he helped to revive St. Thomas Aquinas for modern times and is a prominent drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights...
a lay cardinal.
Confusion concerning the title of "cardinal"
It is perhaps commonplace to think that the title of "cardinal" is the next orderHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
after "bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
" to which a man may be ordained, as "bishop" comes after "priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
" and "priest" after "deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
". In fact, however, the position of cardinal is not an order to which one can be ordained, but simply a honorific office in the Church.
The original "cardinals" in the first Christian centuries were friends and counsellors of the Bishop of Rome. Some were ordained deacons or priests and some were not. In those days of persecution these men took on the duty of standing at the door of the house where the agape
Agape
Agape is one of the Greek words translated into English as love, one which became particularly appropriated in Christian theology as the love of God or Christ for mankind. In the New Testament, it refers to the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God; the term...
feast, as the Mass was then called, was being celebrated. They admitted or rejected people hoping to attend the Sacred Liturgy. They also kept watch for soldiers or informers who might interrupt the gathering. Since the word for "hinge" in Latin is cardo
Cardo
The cardo was a north-south oriented street in Roman cities, military camps, and coloniae. The cardo, an integral component of city planning, was lined with shops and vendors, and served as a hub of economic life. The main cardo was called cardo maximus.Most Roman cities also had a Decumanus...
they became known as 'hingemen" - cardinals. Soon many bishops called their advisors "cardinals" but, in time, the Pope decreed that only the advisors of the Bishop of Rome could be known by the title, "cardinal".
Changes in canon law
The 1917 Code of Canon Law decreed that from then on only those who were priests or bishops could be chosen as cardinals, thus officially closing the historical period in which some cardinals could be clergy that had only received first tonsure and minor orders.The same rule is repeated in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which adds that those who are not already bishops are to receive episcopal ordination. Sometimes a priest who has been nominated a cardinal asks for and obtains dispensation from the obligation to be ordained a bishop upon his appointment. This privilege was requested by the celebrated theologian, Father Avery Dulles, upon being named cardinal by Pope John Paul II
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 ...
in 2001 who readily granted the favor. Subsequently invited a meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
(USCCB) in 2002, Cardinal Dulles at one point asked for recognition to speak to the bishops from the floor. His quip that he was there "under false pretenses" was greeted by much laughter.
With the motu proprio
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
Ministeria quaedam of 15 August 1972 Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
ended the conferral of first tonsure and laid down that entry into the clerical state would instead be by ordination
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
as deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
.
See also
- Crown cardinal
- Cardinal protectorCardinal protectorSince the thirteenth century it has been customary at Rome to confide to some particular Cardinal a special solicitude in the Roman Curia for the interests of a given religious order or institute, confraternity, church, college, city, nation etcetera. Such a person is known as a Cardinal Protector...
- Cardinal-InfanteCardinal-InfanteThe title Cardinal-Infante may refer to any one of the following, each of them both an infante and a cardinal:* Infante Jaime of Coimbra * Cardinal-Infante Afonso of Portugal...
- Cardinal-nephewCardinal-nephewA cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
- TonsureTonsureTonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
- Minor ordersMinor ordersThe minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. The most recognized minor orders are porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. In the Latin rite Catholic Church, the minor orders were in most cases replaced by "instituted" ministries of lector and acolyte, though communities that use...