John Krol
| Styles of John Cardinal Krol | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Philadelphia (Emeritus) |
John Joseph Cardinal Krol, JCL (October 26, 1910—March 3, 1996) was a Polish-American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1961 to 1988, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.
Biography
He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Polish immigrants John and Anna (née Pietruzka) Krol. Originally working as a food-store manager, Krol focused on a life in religion when questioned by a Lutheran co-worker. After studying at St. Mary's College in Michigan and St. Mary's Seminary in Cleveland, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Joseph Schrembs of Cleveland on February 20, 1937. Krol, following a year's pastoral work, attended the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where in 1940 he received a license in canon law. He earned his doctorate in canon law in 1942 from The Catholic University of America, and served as Canon Law professor at Cleveland's St. Mary's Seminary until December 1943.
He quickly rose through the ranks—Vice-Chancellor (1943-1951) and Chancellor (1951-1954) of Cleveland, and Monsignor (July 19, 1945)—and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Cleveland and Titular Bishop of Cardi by Pope Pius XII on July 11, 1953. Krol received his episcopal consecration on the following September 2 from Archbishop Amleto Cicognani, with Bishops Edward Hoban and Floyd Begin serving as co-consecrators. He served as a bishop in Cleveland for eight years before being named the Archbishop of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, where the cleric became a beloved figure, on February 11, 1961.
Krol attended the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), and like the future Pope Benedict XVI[1], he later differentiated from the true meaning of the Council and its interpretation[2]. Like Pope Paul VI, he was more liberal in areas of social principles but sternly conservative in those of doctrine and Church government. He condemned arms races and abortion, but supported clerical celibacy and disarmament[3] [4].
He was created Cardinal Priest of S. Maria della Mercede e Sant'Adriano a Villa Albani by Paul VI on June 26, 1967, during the same consistory which elevated Archbishop Karol Wojtyła of Kraków, Poland. Both were cardinal electors in the conclaves of August and October 1978. Wojtyła became Pope John Paul II in the latter conclave, and Krol served as one of his closest advisors.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Krol governed the Archdiocese of Philadelphia through an era where the population shifted to the suburbs. Krol also campaigned for the canonization of Katharine Drexel, and was present at the canonization of his Bavarian-born predecessor in Philadelphia, Bishop John Neumann. He made a celebrated pilgrimage to Poland in 1972[5], and served as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1971 to 1974.
Krol was hospitalized in 1987 for treatment of diverticulosis[6]. Due to his ill health, he resigned as Archbishop of Philadelphia on February 11, 1988, exactly 27 years after he was appointed to the post. He was the longest serving ordinary in the history of the archdiocese, and was succeeded by Bishop Anthony Bevilacqua.
Krol died in Philadelphia at age 85, and is buried in the crypt beneath the Cathedral-Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.
On September 21, 2005, nearly 10 years after his death, a grand jury in Philadelphia announced that Cardinal Krol, as well as Cardinal Bevilacqua, were involved with the cover-up of a sex scandal against accused priests throughout the archdiocese. Like the sex scandals in the Archdiocese of Boston, Krol and Bevilacqua transferred accused priests to other parishes throughout the archdiocese, a practice under the current prelate, Justin Cardinal Rigali, banned in favor of defrocking those who are accused and confirmed by investigations. Cardinal Rigali, in cooperation with Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham and other DAs throughout the jurisdiction of the archdiocese, has now started practicing of both internal archdiocesan investigations, as well as external criminal investigations.
E. Michael Jones published a biography of Krol in 1995 titled John Cardinal Krol and the Cultural Revolution. The book covers Krol's early life and his time as President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during the turbulant times of the 1970's. In order to give Jones sources for the book, Krol allowed Jones access to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia archives.
Trivia
- He could speak 11 languages[2].
Episcopal Succession
Ordination history of John Krol | |||||||||
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References
- ^ The Holy See. Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Roman Curia, Offering Them His Greetings December 22, 2005
- ^ a b Time Magazine. The Krol Era November 29, 1971
- ^ Ibid.
- ^ Time Magazine. Bishops and the Bomb November 29, 1982
- ^ Time Magazine. Pilgrim in Poland October 30, 1972
- ^ Time Magazine. Milestones May 25, 1987