Georges-François-Xavier-Marie Grente

infobox cardinalstyles
cardinal name=Georges Grente
dipstyle=His Eminence
offstyle=Your Eminence
See=Le Mans |

Georges-François-Xavier-Marie Grente (May 5, 1872—May 5, 1959) was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Le Mans from 1918 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1953 by Pope Pius XII.

Biography

Georges Grente was born in Percy, Coutances, and studied at the University of Paris School of Law, Major Seminary of Coutances, and Catholic Institute of Paris. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1895, and then taught at the minor seminary in Mortain until 1903.

Grente was director of the diocesan College of Saint Louis from 1903 to 1916, whence he became superior of St. Paul Institute in Cherbourg. He was made an honorary canon of the cathedral chapter of Coutances in 1917.

On January 30, 1918, Grente was appointed Bishop of Le Mans by Pope Benedict XV. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 17 from Cardinal Louis-Ernest Dubois, with Bishops Claude Bardel and Joseph Guérard serving as co-consecrators. He was given the title of Assistant at Pontifical Throne on January 18, 1933, and personal title of "Archbishop" in March 1943. During World War II, Grente worked in the French resistance movement [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869102-2,00.html Milestones] May 18, 1959] .

Pope Pius XII created him Cardinal Priest of "S. Bernardo alle Terme" in the consistory of January 12, 1953. Despite speculation that his poor health would prevent him from participating [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,863976,00.html The Succession] October 20, 1958] , Grente was one of the cardinal electors in the 1958 papal conclave, which selected Pope John XXIII. A member of the "Académie française", he was in close correspondence with Charles de Gaulle as well. It was in a letter to Grente that de Gaulle made his famous distinction between "la France chrétienne" and "la république läique".

The Cardinal died in Le Mans, at age 86 (a day before his next birthday), and was buried in the Cathedral of Le Mans. He had served as the ordinary of that city for over forty years. In 1998, Grente was the posthumous object of an attempt at character assassination by Christian Gury.

References

External links

* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-g.htm#Grente Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgrente.html Catholic-Hierarchy]