Maurice Feltin | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Paris | |
 Portrait. | |
| Church | RomanCatholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Paris |
| See | Paris |
| Appointed | 15 August 1949 |
| Term ended | 1 December 1966 |
| Predecessor | Emmanuel Suhard |
| Successor | Pierre Veuillot |
| Other post(s) | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Pace (1953–75) |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 3 July 1909 by Léon-Adolphe Amette |
| Consecration | 11 March 1928 by Charles-Henri-Joseph Binet |
| Created cardinal | 12 January 1953 byPope Pius XII |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Maurice Feltin 15 May 1883 |
| Died | 27 September 1975(1975-09-27) (aged 92) Thiais,Paris,France |
| Motto | Animam pro ovibus |
| Signature |  |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Maurice Feltin | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Paris (Emeritus) |
Maurice Feltin (15 May 1883 – 27 September 1975) was a Frenchcardinal of the RomanCatholic Church. He served asArchbishop of Paris from 1949 to 1966, and was elevated to thecardinalate in 1953 byPope Pius XII.
Born inDelle,Territoire-de-Belfort, Maurice Feltin studied at theSeminaryof Saint-Sulpice inParis before beingordained apriest on 3 July 1909. He then didpastoral work in Besançon until 1914, at which time he was made an officer in theFrench Army duringWorld War I. For his work, he was awarded theCroix-de-Guerre, theMédaille militaire, and theLégion d'honneur.
On 19 December 1927, Feltin was appointedBishop of Troyes byPope Pius XI. He received hisepiscopal consecration on 11 March 1928 from Cardinal Henri-Charles-Joseph Binet, with Bishops Paul-Jules-Narcisse Rémond and Jean-Marcel Rodié serving asco-consecrators. Feltin was promoted toArchbishop of Sens on 16 August 1932, and was later namedArchbishop of Bordeaux on 16 December 1935. After thedefeat of France in the summer of 1940 Feltin supported theVichy regime of MarshalPétain. However, he also sheltered Jews fleeingGerman Occupied France and helped the Grand Rabbi of France escape theGestapo.[1] On 15 August 1949, he became the twenty-thirdArchbishop of Paris.
He was createdCardinal Priest ofSanta Maria della Pace byPope Pius XII in theconsistory of 12 January 1953. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the1958 papal conclave and the1963 papal conclave.
During theAlgerian War Feltin strongly supported the French army and dismissed allegations of widespread torture as "exaggerations". He accused people who spread such information with undermining national unity and insulting the honor of the army. In the fall of 1959, he met with GeneralJacques Massu, a leading advocate for the use of torture, reassuring him that the Church supported the army. Feltin denounced the use of torture in 1960 but continued his opposition to the legalization ofconscientious objection in France, rejecting objections to the war by certain French Catholics. In anti-war Catholic circles, Feltin's actions were met with displeasure.[2]
He attended theSecond Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965. He resigned as Paris' archbishop on 21 December 1966.After the first meeting between Church and Freemasonry which had been held on 11 April 1969 at the convent of the Divine Master inAriccia, he was the protagonist of a series of public handshakes between high prelates of the Roman Catholic Church and the heads ofFreemasonry.[3]
He died inThiais, outside Paris, at age 92, and was buried inNotre Dame Cathedral.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Troyes 1927–1932 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Sens 1932–1935 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Bordeaux 1935—1949 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Paris 1949–1966 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by First | International President of Pax Christi 1950–1965 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the French Episcopal Conference 1964–1969 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Cardinal-Priest ofSanta Maria della Pace 1953–1975 | Succeeded by |
