Professor Leonard Swidler
November 4, 2006
215-477-1080
dialogue@temple.edu

 

FORMER APOSTOLIC DELEGATE ARCHBISHOP JEAN JADOT TO RECEIVE “HANS KÜNG RIGHTS OF CATHOLICS IN THE CHURCH AWARD”  

The Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (founded 1980) will present its 2006 Hans Küng Rights of Catholics in the Church Award to Archbishop Jean Jadot of Belgium at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. , Friday, November 17, 2006, at 7:30 P.M.

The Award was named after Father Hans Küng (its first recipient in 2005), who was removed by the Vatican from his position as Professor of Catholic Theology at the University of Tübingen, Germany, in 1979 (but had a long, friendly visit with his former colleague Pope Benedict last year).This was the culmination of a year-long series of silencing actions taken by the Vatican. One consequence of these actions was the formation of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church in the United States, which is now an international organization of Catholics working for structural reform of the Church.

Archbishop Jadot was appointed Apostolic Delegate to the United States in 1973 by Pope Paul VI with instructions to search out more pastoral bishops who would implement the reforms of Vatican Council II (1962-65). He did so with great success. When John Paul II became pope, Archbishop Jadot was relieved of his position, as was customary, and was given a minor post and no cardinal’s red hat, which was not customary. Because of ill health, Archbishop Jadot will be represented at the Award ceremony by his nephew, Louis de Strycker, who will also accept the Prize’s check for $1000 which will be donated to the “Jadot Nostra Aetate Chair ”at the University of Louvain.

Father Charles E. Curran, a long-time friend of Archbishop Jadot, who was Professor of Catholic Theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. during Archbishop Jadot’s nunciature and was also subsequently removed by the Vatican from his position, will give the Presentation Address, titled: “Pilgrim People in a Pilgrim Church: Is There Hope for the Catholic Church?” Father Curran, who has been teaching at Southern Methodist University since leaving Catholic University in 1986, has just published his book, Loyal Dissent. Memoir of a Catholic Theologian with Georgetown University Press, in which he gave a vivid portrait of Archbishop Jadot as well as recounting the story of his dismissal.

The Award Ceremony will take place at the Foundry United Methodist Church ( 1500 16th Street, NW , Washington , DC 20036 ) at 7:30 p.m. with a reception to follow. The public is welcome. Donation at the door is $10.00. Information: Tel. 877-700- ARCC ; e-mail: dialogue@temple.edu