Kurt Koch

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His Eminence

Kurt Koch
President of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity
Kurt Koch par Claude Truong-Ngoc decembre 2016.jpg
Koch pictured in December 2016.
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
Appointed1 July 2010
Predecessor Walter Kasper
Other post(s) President of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (2010-)
Cardinal-Priest 'pro hac vice' of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore (2021-)
Previous post(s) Bishop of Basel (1996–2010)
President of the Swiss Episcopal Conference (2006-09)
Apostolic Administrator of Basel (2010)
Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore (2010-21)
Orders
Ordination20 June 1982
by Otto Wüst
Consecration6 January 1996
by  Pope John Paul II
Created cardinal20 November 2010
by Pope Benedict XVI
Rank Cardinal-Deacon (2010-21)
Cardinal-Priest (2021-)
Personal details
Born
Kurt Koch

(1950-03-15) 15 March 1950 (age 74)
Emmenbrücke, Switzerland
Nationality Swiss
Denomination Catholic (Roman Rite)
Alma mater Ludwig-Maximilian University
University of Lucerne
Motto Latin: Ut sit in omnibus Christus primatum tenens
Coat of arms Coat of arms of Kurt Koch.svg
Styles of
Kurt Koch
Coat of arms of Kurt Koch.svg
Reference style His Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal style Cardinal
See Basel (Emeritus)

Kurt Koch (born 15 March 1950) is a Swiss prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been a cardinal since November 2010 and president of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity since 1 July 2010. He was the bishop of Basel from 1996 until 2010.

Contents

Personal background

Koch was born in Emmenbrücke in the canton of Lucerne. He studied theology at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and at the University of Lucerne, graduating in 1975 with a Doctor of Theology degree. He was ordained to the priesthood on 20 June 1982.

Basel

Koch was appointed Bishop of Basel on 6 December 1995. He received episcopal consecration on 6 January 1996 from John Paul II himself, with Archbishops Giovanni Battista Re and Jorge María Mejía serving as co-consecrators. [1]

When a group of Swiss intellectuals and theologians called for John Paul's resignation on 20 May 2004, on the occasion of his 84th birthday, Koch described it as "disgusting and disloyal". [2] In 2006, he supported the freedom of Muslims to build minarets in Switzerland, but also asked for greater religious freedom for Christians in Muslim countries. [3] [4]

On 27 June 2007, Koch, along with several other Catholic prelates, attended a briefing from the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, at the Apostolic Palace on Pope Benedict XVI's forthcoming allowing wider celebration of the Tridentine Mass. [5]

In July 2007, Koch defended the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's document "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church." He acknowledged that the document could appear confusing or hurtful to Protestants. He said the document's reception showed the difference between the ecumenical goals of Catholics and the Orthodox on the one hand and that of Protestants on the other. [6]

Koch was President of the Swiss Episcopal Conference from 2007 until 2010. He is a member of the Swiss Council of Religions.

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Koch as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on 1 July 2010, taking over from Cardinal Walter Kasper. [7] [8] Koch was made archbishop as well. He commented: "The Holy Father told me in February, in a personal audience, his desire that I would begin to lead this council. It is a great joy for me because ecumenism has always been in my heart since in my country, Switzerland, Protestants are very close to us and I have also had a particular interest in the Orthodox Churches." [9]

On 16 October 2010, Pope Benedict appointed Koch as a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for a five-year renewable term. [10]

On 20 October 2010, Pope Benedict made him Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore. [11]

On 29 December 2010, Koch was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. [12]

Koch headed the Vatican's delegation to Istanbul, Turkey to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Patriarch Bartholomew I, for the Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle on 30 November 2010 (the Patriarchate sends a delegation each year in turn for the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul on 29 June). He co-presided over a meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Vienna, Austria in September 2010 with Metropolitan John Zizioulas of Pergamon.

On 4 May 2011 Pope Benedict appointed Koch a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The five-year term will be renewed until his 80th birthday.

In his role as president of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, Koch spoke to reporters on 16 May 2011, after delivering a speech on Catholic-Jewish relations in light of Vatican II's declaration Nostra aetate on the Church's relations with non-Christian religions. The speech followed Koch's participation in a meeting of the doctrinal congregation to examine the latest progress in the Vatican's reconciliation talks with the traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X. "There are questions to clarify in discussions with this community. I can't say more than that", he told reporters, echoing a Vatican statement saying the reconciliation talks are ongoing. Koch noted that "All the doctrinal decisions of the church are binding on a Catholic, including the Second Vatican Council and all its texts", Koch said when asked if the SSPX would be expected to accept all the teachings of Vatican II. "The Nostra aetate declaration of the Second Vatican Council is a clear decree and is important for every Catholic", he added. [13]

16 May 2012, Koch gave the Pope John Paul II Lecture on Interreligious Understanding at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). Koch spoke on the theme of "Building on Nostra aetate: 50 Years of Christian-Jewish Dialogue".

On 30 October 2012, Koch stated in an interview that, if Lutherans express a wish for an arrangement similar to the personal ordinariates for former Anglicans, the Catholic Church will have to reflect on it, but that the initiative must come from Lutherans. [14] [15]

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. [16]

On Saturday, 30 November 2013, Pope Francis named Cardinal Koch a Member of the Congregation for Catholic Education. [17] He was appointed a member of the Congregation for Bishops. [18]

After ten years at the rank of cardinal deacon, he exercised his option to assume the rank of cardinal priest, which Pope Francis confirmed on 3 May 2021. [19]

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References

  1. ↑ "Kurt Cardinal Koch [Catholic-Hierarchy]".
  2. ↑ "Swiss bishops denounce calls for Pope to retire". Catholic News Agency. 20 May 2004. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "Ich würde den Muslimen zugestehen, ein Minarett zu haben" (in German). Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 7 September 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  4. ↑ "Swiss bishop comes out in favour of minarets". Swissinfo. 3 September 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2011. The problem is really not the strength of Islam but the weakness of Christianity. If we were to go back to our roots and stand behind our convictions we could approach other religions more openly.
  5. ↑ Thavis, John (29 June 2007). "Pope meets bishops, discusses decision on pre-Vatican II liturgy". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 10 July 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  6. ↑ Wooden, Cindy (11 July 2007). "Protestant groups dismayed at new document on identity of 'church'". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  7. ↑ "Rinuncia del Presidente del Pontificio Consiglio per la Promozione dell'Unità dei Cristiani e Nomina del Successore" (in Italian). Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office. 1 July 2010. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  8. ↑ "WCC welcomes Vatican's new chief ecumenist". World Council of Churches. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  9. ↑ Villa, Carmen Elena (13 July 2010). "Why a Swiss Bishop for the Unity Council". ZENIT. Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  10. ↑ "Nomina di Membri della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede" (in Italian). Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office. 16 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 October 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  11. ↑ "Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali" [Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals]. The Holy See (in Italian). Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice. 20 November 2010. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Nomina di Cardinali Membri dei Dicasteri della Curia Romana" (in Italian). Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office. 29 December 2010. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "catholicnews.com". Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "Progressives and traditionalists suffer from the same ailment". Zenit News Agency . Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  15. ↑ "Vatican cardinal opens door to Lutheran ordinaraites". catholiccultre.org. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  16. ↑ "Koch Card. Kurt". Holy See Press Office . Archived from the original on 13 November 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 30.11.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  18. ↑ press.vatican.va
  19. ↑ "Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico per il Voto su alcune Cause di Canonizzazione, 03.05.2021" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Basel
6 December 1995 – 1 July 2010		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the Swiss Episcopal Conference
2006 – 2009		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
1 July 2010 –		Incumbent
Preceded by Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore
20 November 2010 –
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