Karel Kašpar

infobox cardinalstyles
cardinal name=Karel Cardinal Kašpar
dipstyle=His Eminence
offstyle=Your Eminence
See=Prague|

Karel Boromejský Cardinal Kašpar (May 16, 1870—April 21, 1941) was a Czech prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Prague from 1931 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1935.

Biography

Born in Mirošov, Austria-Hungary (later Czechoslovakia), Karel Kašpar attended the seminary in Pilsen and the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum "S. Apollinare" in Rome. He was ordained to the priesthood on February 25, 1893, and then did pastoral work in Svojšín until 1895. In 1899, he began pastoral work in Prague and was made a canon of its cathedral chapter.

On March 8 1920, Kašpar was appointed Titular Bishop of "Bethsaida" and Auxiliary Bishop of Hradec Králové. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 11 from Archbishop František Kordác. Kašpar was later named Bishop of Hradec Králové on June 13, 1921, and Archbishop of Prague on October 22 1931. As Prague's archbishop, he was also Primate of the Church in Czechoslovakia.

Pope Pius XI created him Cardinal Priest of "Ss. Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio" in the consistory of December 16, 1935. For the visit of King Carol II of Romania to Prague in 1936, Kašpar allowed his flock to eat meat on Fridays [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,756887,00.html Carol Troubles] November 16, 1936] . The Czech primate was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 1939 papal conclave that selected Pope Pius XII.

Kašpar died in Prague, at age 70. He is buried in St. Vitus Cathedral.

References

External links

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