Jean Jadot
Encyclopedia
Jean Jadot was a Belgian
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as apostolic delegate to the United States from 1973 to 1980, and President of the Secretariat of Non-Christians
from 1980 to 1984.
. He was born to a well-known aristocrat
ic family, and his father, Lambert, was a noted electrical engineer
who worked around the world, including China
and the Congo
. In 1926, he entered the Catholic University of Leuven
, from where he obtained his doctorate in philosophy
magna cum laude
in 1930. His thesis
was on the work of Alfred Edward Taylor
.
Jadot, despite his father's opposition, then entered the seminary
of the Archdiocese of Mechelen, and was ordained
to the priesthood
by Jozef-Ernest Cardinal van Roey
on February 11, 1934.
On February 23, 1968, he was appointed titular archbishop of Zuri as well as the apostolic delegate to Laos
, Singapore
and Malaysia. He was ordained a bishop by Leo Cardinal Suenens
on May 1, 1968.
He was appointed apostolic pro-nuncio to Thailand
August 28, 1969. On May 15, 1971, Jadot was appointed apostolic pro-nuncio to Gabon
and Cameroon
as well as apostolic delegate to Equatorial Guinea
. On May 23, 1974, he was appointed the apostolic delegate to the United States and would hold the position until June 27, 1980, when he was appointed as the Pro-President of the Secretariat of Non-Christians. He held the latter position until his retirement on April 8, 1984.
Jadot was considered a progressive leader in the American Church and was at times polarizing in the statements he made and decisions he took. Jadot was seen favorably by the Vatican under Pope Paul VI, who rejected Jadot's initial offer to resign. Paul's second successor, Pope John Paul II, accepted Jadot's subsequent resignation in 1980.
Jadot died in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Belgium, on January 21, 2009.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as apostolic delegate to the United States from 1973 to 1980, and President of the Secretariat of Non-Christians
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a dicastery of the Roman Curia, erected by Pope Paul VI on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988....
from 1980 to 1984.
Biography
Jean Jadot was born in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. He was born to a well-known aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
ic family, and his father, Lambert, was a noted electrical engineer
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
who worked around the world, including China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. In 1926, he entered the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
, from where he obtained his doctorate in philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
magna cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
in 1930. His thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
was on the work of Alfred Edward Taylor
Alfred Edward Taylor
Alfred Edward Taylor was a British idealist philosopher most famous for his contributions to the philosophy of idealism in his writings on metaphysics, the philosophy of religion, moral philosophy, and the scholarship of Plato. He was a fellow of the British Academy and president of the...
.
Jadot, despite his father's opposition, then entered the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of the Archdiocese of Mechelen, and was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Jozef-Ernest Cardinal van Roey
Jozef-Ernest van Roey
Jozef-Ernest van Roey was a Belgian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Mechelen from 1926 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1927.-Biography:...
on February 11, 1934.
On February 23, 1968, he was appointed titular archbishop of Zuri as well as the apostolic delegate to Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaysia. He was ordained a bishop by Leo Cardinal Suenens
Leo Joseph Suenens
Leo Jozef Suenens was a Belgian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel from 1961 to 1979, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1962....
on May 1, 1968.
He was appointed apostolic pro-nuncio to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
August 28, 1969. On May 15, 1971, Jadot was appointed apostolic pro-nuncio to Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
as well as apostolic delegate to Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...
. On May 23, 1974, he was appointed the apostolic delegate to the United States and would hold the position until June 27, 1980, when he was appointed as the Pro-President of the Secretariat of Non-Christians. He held the latter position until his retirement on April 8, 1984.
Jadot was considered a progressive leader in the American Church and was at times polarizing in the statements he made and decisions he took. Jadot was seen favorably by the Vatican under Pope Paul VI, who rejected Jadot's initial offer to resign. Paul's second successor, Pope John Paul II, accepted Jadot's subsequent resignation in 1980.
Jadot died in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Belgium, on January 21, 2009.