Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, eminent Brazilian theologian who inspired the Pope to adopt the name Francis, has died

Brazilian Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, a “great friend” of the Pope who inspired him in choosing the name Francis, He died this Monday at the age of 87.as announced by the Archbishop of San Paolo.

“It is with great sadness that I announce the death of Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, (…) on this day, after a long illnessThis was announced by Archbishop Odilo Scherer in a statement.

Its wake will be at the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Pablo.

In March 2013, shortly after his election, the Pope explained during a meeting with reporters how Hummes had inspired him to choose the name Francis.

The Brazilian later emerged as one of the favorites to succeed Benedict XVI.

“During the elections I was alongside the archbishop of Sao Paulo, Cláudio Hummes, a great friend (…) When things got dangerous, he consoled me. When the votes (in my favor) reached the two third, he hugged Me, kissed me and said: ‘And don’t forget the poor!‘”revealed the pope.

“Immediately, in relation to the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi, in wars (…) the man of poverty, the man of peace”, the Pope said.

Biography of Claudio Hummes

Born in Salvador do Sul, a small town in southern Brazil, Cardinal Hummes was ordained a priest in 1958 and became bishop in 1975.

In his early days at the helm of Pastorale Obrera, he supported some massive union strikes in times of the country’s military dictatorship (1964-1985) and even hosted some in a church. clandestine meetings of union leaders.

However, he did not belong to the group of Brazilian priests who adhered to Liberation Theology, which he believed “had values” but was alienated from the doctrine of the Church, due to its “Marxist principles”.

Hummes was appointed archbishop of São Paulo in 1998 by Pope John Paul II, who in 2001 appointed him cardinal, and held these functions until in 2006 he was transferred by Benedict XVI to Romeat the head of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy.

After his return to Brazil, he chaired the Episcopal Commission for the Amazon and was one of the promoters of the so-called Pan-Amazônica Ecclesial Network (Repam), whose goal is evangelization in that region and the protection of biodiversity and indigenous peoples.

In September 2019, Hummes played a leading role during the synod on the Amazonof which he was rapporteur.

That synod took place in a particularly tense moment in Brazilbecause of the criticism of the international community to the government of the far-right president Jair Bolsonaro for the resurgence of forest fires in the Amazon.

Source: AFP