Liberation theologian to take up key Vatican post

Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes has been named as the new prefect of the Holy See Congregation for the Clergy. The 72-year-old Brazil-born son of German immigrants will succeed Colombian Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos. Cardinal Hummes, a Franciscan who speaks five languages, is known as a champion of human dignity, not only supporting and initiating concrete projects to help the poor, but also defending the traditional family, fighting abortion and citing the need for solid ethical norms in response to advances in biomedical technology. The Cardinal earned a reputation as a peacemaker after mediating a bitter labour dispute in Brazil, but also by the way he welcomed new Catholic movements into the church without pushing aside older groups, and through his work to promote Christian unity and better relations with the Jews. Last year Cardinal Hummes was keynote speaker at the Vatican's commemoration of Vatican Council II document Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. The key text explains the church's commitment to justice and to bringing Gospel values to bear on economic, social and political life. The Cardinal told the conference that while the Church is called to promote unity, progress and dialogue, "a servant church must have as its priority solidarity with the poor." In addition, he said, in order to serve the world and show it the path to salvation, the Church must be in dialogue with the world, with politicians and economists, with members of other religions and with scientists. "However, this always must be a dialogue and not the imposition of the church's convictions and methods," he said. The church must "propose and not impose, serve and not dominate." Source: Fides