Franjo Kuharić

His Eminence Franjo Kuharić Servant of God
Cardinal, Archbishop emeritus of Zagreb
File:Kuharić franjo biskup.jpg
Archdiocese	Zagreb
See	Zagreb
Appointed	16 June 1970
Term ended	5 July 1997
Predecessor	Franjo Šeper
Successor	Josip Bozanić
Other posts	Cardinal-Priest of San Girolamo dei Croati (1983–2002)
Orders
Ordination	15 July 1945
Consecration	3 May 1964 by Franjo Šeper
Created Cardinal	2 February 1983 by Pope John Paul II
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Birth name	Franjo Kuharić
Born	(1919-04-19)19 April 1919 Pribić, Krasic, Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Died	Zagreb, Croatia
Buried	Zagreb Cathedral
Nationality	Croat
Previous post	Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb (1964–1970) Titular Bishop of Meta (1964–1970) President of the Croatian Episcopal Conference (1993–1997)
Motto	Deus caritas est ("God is love")
Sainthood
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Title as Saint	Servant of God

Styles of Franjo Kuharić
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Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Zagreb

Franjo Kuharić (15 April 1919 – 11 March 2002) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. His cause of canonization has commenced and he has been made a Servant of God.

Biography

Early life and ordination

He was born in 1919 in Pribić (part of Krašić), in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present-day Croatia). He was educated at the Classic Lyceum, Zagreb; Theological Faculty, University of Zagreb. He was ordained a priest on 15 July 1945 in Zagreb, by Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac, archbishop of Zagreb. He did pastoral ministry in the archdiocese of Zagreb from 1945 until 1964.

Episcopate and cardinalate

He was appointed Titular Bishop of Meta and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb on 15 February 1964 by Pope Paul VI and was consecrated on 3 May 1964 by Franjo Cardinal Šeper. He was appointed to succeed Cardinal Seper as archbishop of Zagreb in 1970. In 1983 he was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. He retired in 1997 and was succeeded as Archbishop by Josip Bozanić. He lost the right to participate in the conclave when he turned 80 years of age on 15 April 1999. He was called the "Rock of Croatia".

Death and cause of beatification

He died on 11 March 2002 in Zagreb and was buried in the crypt of the metropolitan cathedral of Zagreb.

Ten years after his death, on 11 March 2012, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the Archbishop of Zagreb, announced that he would launch a process that requires the Church to examine options for the beatification of Cardinal Kuharić.

Views

Status of Medjugorje

Regarding the status of Medjugorje, Cardinal Kuharić declared that "We therefore leave this aspect for further investigation. The Church is in no hurry."

References

Preceded by Franjo Šeper

Archbishop of Zagreb 1970–1997

Succeeded by Josip Bozanić