Cláudio Hummes

His Eminence Cláudio Hummes OFM
Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy
See	São Paulo (Emeritus)
Appointed	31 October 2006
Term ended	7 October 2010
Predecessor	Darío Castrillón Hoyos
Successor	Mauro Piacenza
Other posts	Cardinal-Priest of S. Antonio da Padova in Via Merulana
Orders
Ordination	3 August 1958 by João Resende Costa
Consecration	25 May 1975 by Aloísio Leo Arlindo Lorscheider
Created Cardinal	21 February 2001 by Pope John Paul II
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Birth name	Auri Alfonso Hummes
Born	(1934-08-08) 8 August 1934 Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Coadjutor Bishop of Santo André (1975) Titular Bishop of Carcabia (1975) Bishop of Santo André (1975–1996) Archbishop of Fortaleza (1996–1998) Archbishop of São Paulo (1998–2006)
Motto	Omnes Vos Fratres (Ye are all brothers)
Coat of arms

Cláudio Hummes, OFM (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈklawdʒu ˈʁum(i)s], born 8 August 1934) is a Brazilian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy in the Roman Curia (2006–2010), having previously served as Archbishop of Fortaleza from 1996 to 1998 and archbishop of São Paulo from 1998 to 2006. A member of the Order of Friars Minor and an outspoken proponent of social justice, he was elevated to the cardinalate in the consistory of 21 February 2001.

Early life

Auri Alfonso Hummes was born in the city of Montenegro to Pedro Adão Hummes, a German-Brazilian, and Maria Frank, a German. Taking the name Cláudio upon his profession as a Franciscan,^{[lower-alpha 1]} he was ordained to the priesthood on 3 August 1958 by Archbishop João Resende Costa, SDB. He obtained a doctorate in philosophy in 1963 from the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome.

From 1963 until 1968, he taught philosophy at the Franciscan seminary in Garibaldi, the major seminary of Viamão and at the Pontifical Catholic University of Porto Alegre. He then studied at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Geneva, Switzerland, from where he received an specialization in ecumenism. He was adviser for ecumenical affairs to the National Bishops' Conference of Brazil, Provincial Superior of the Franciscans of Rio Grande do Sul (1972–1975), and president of the Union of Latin American Conferences of Franciscans.

Along with his native Portuguese and Riograndenser Hunsrückisch, a regional German dialect of southern Brazil, he can also speak Spanish, High-German, and Italian.

Episcopal career

On 22 March 1975, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Santo André and Titular Bishop of Carcabia. Hummes received his episcopal consecration on the following 25 May from Archbishop Aloísio Lorscheider, OFM, with Bishops Mauro Morelli and Urbano Allgayer serving as co-consecrators. He later succeeded Jorge de Oliveira as Bishop of Santo André on 29 December of that same year. Hummes allowed the labour unions to meet in parishes throughout his diocese, going against the dictatorship in Brazil at the time. It was here that he began his support for liberation theology, and forged his friendship with the union boss at the time, Lula. On 29 May 1996 he was promoted to Archbishop of Fortaleza and was then transferred to São Paulo on 15 April 1998.

Styles of Cláudio Hummes
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	São Paulo (Emeritus)

Cardinalate

He was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Antonio da Padova in Via Merulana by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001.^[2] He later preached the Lenten spiritual exercises for John Paul II and the Roman Curia in 2002. One of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Hummes was often mentioned as a possible successor to Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal Hummes has Curial membership of Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Congregation for Bishops, Congregation for Catholic Education, Pontifical Council for the Laity, Pontifical Council for the Family, Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Pontifical Council for Culture, Pontifical Commission for Latin America, X Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational, and Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See. He held membership of these dicastaries until his 80th birthday.

On 31 October 2006 Pope Benedict appointed Cardinal Hummes to head the Congregation for the Clergy, succeeding Darío Castrillón Hoyos.

In 2013 he served as one of the 115 cardinals in the conclave that elected Pope Francis.^[3][4][5] Due to precedence, during the oathtaking, Cardinal Hummes took the cardinal-electors' oath of secrecy just immediately prior to Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio who would ultimately be elected pope.^[4][5] When the new Pope won the conclave ballot, Cardinal Hummes whispered to the Pope, "Don't forget the poor people" and the Pope said that immediately he remembered St. Francis of Assisi and "the name Francis came into my heart". When the newly elected Pope Francis appeared on the balcony shortly after his election, Cardinal Hummes was among the cardinals who accompanied the new pope and stood beside him at his immediate left on the balcony.^[6]

On 8 August 2014, Cardinal Hummes turned 80 and lost the right to participate in future conclaves.^[1]

Views

Economic issues

Cardinal Hummes has criticized the spread of global capitalism, claiming that privatizing state companies and lowering tariffs had contributed to "misery and poverty affecting millions around the world".^[7] At his first public audience following his election, Pope Francis revealed that he had been inspired to take his name from St Francis of Assisi by his good friend Cardinal Hummes who had embraced him at the culmination of the 2013 conclave whispering "don't forget the poor" when it was announced that he had been elected Pope.

Indigenous people

He issued an official statement condemning the anonymous attacks on homeless indigenous people. He said "such violence and cruelty is unacceptable and should be vigorously repudiated. The Church has cried out many times regarding the need to come to the aid of those who are forced to live in our streets, without shelter. She does so out of a duty of humanity and because of her faith in Jesus Christ, who wishes to be identified in each person, especially in the poor and handicapped".^[8]

Clerical celibacy

In a 2006 interview with Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, Cardinal Hummes said that "even though celibacy is part of Catholic history and culture, the Church could review this question, because celibacy is not a dogma but a disciplinary question." He also said that it is "a long and valuable tradition in the Latin-rite church, based on strong theological and pastoral arguments".^[9]

Contraception

Hummes has reprimanded priests who attack Catholic teachings about condoms.^[7][10]

Notes

References

External links

• Catholic-Pages.com | Cardinals of the Catholic Church: Biography of Cardinal Hummes
• Cláudio Hummes' biography at Salvador Miranda's The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church website