Charles Journet


Charles Journet was a Swiss Roman Catholic theologian and cardinal.
Journet has been considered a figure of holiness and his cause for canonisation is set to commence. This means that he shall be accorded the title Servant of God when the cause commences on a diocesan level.

Life

Early life and priesthood

Charles Journet was born in Geneva in 1891 as the son of Jean-Louis Journet and Jenny Bondat. He was baptized on the same day in the church of Sacré-Coeur and was to receive the sacrament of Confirmation on 12 June 1903 in the same church from Bishop Joseph Déruaz.
He studied at the seminary in Fribourg before being ordained to the priesthood on 15 July 1917. He then did pastoral work in the Diocese of Fribourg until 1924, and there taught at the seminary from 1924 to 1965. He established the theological journal "Nova et Vetera" in 1926.
Journet was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness on 13 August 1946 by Pope Pius XII, gaining fame as a theologian.

Cardinalate and death

On 15 February 1965, he was appointed as the Titular Archbishop of Furnos Minor by Pope Paul VI, and he received his episcopal consecration on the following 20 February from Bishop François Charrière, with Bishops Franz von Streng and Louis-Sevérin Haller serving as the co-consecrators.
In the consistory two days later, on 22 February, he was one of the three European theologians elevated to the College of Cardinals by Paul VI, becoming the Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Campitelli.
Although he only attended the last session of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, Journet was nevertheless a rather influential figure at the Council. He supported the documents Dignitatis humanae and Nostra aetate while also affirming the Church's traditional teaching on divorce. Journet was a close friend of the renowned philosopher Jacques Maritain, with whom he founded the theological journal "Nova et Vetera" in 1926.
A supporter of Socialist leader Miguel Arraes, the cardinal protested his imprisonment by the Brazilian military in the 1960s. Journet lost the right to participate in any future papal conclave when he reached 80 on 26 January 1971, but served as Protodeacon from the following 10 August until he opted to become a Cardinal-Priest of the same title on 5 March 1973. His most famous work is considered to be .
He is also seen as the mentor of Swiss Cardinal Georges Cottier.
Journet died in Fribourg at the age of 84 in 1975. He is buried in the "Chartreuse de la Valsainte" in Gruyères.

Beatification process

His beatification cause has been approved and is set to commence. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave their approval and granted him the title Servant of God.