Pierre-Lambert Goossens

His Eminence Pierre-Lambert Goossens
Cardinal, Archbishop of Mechelen Primate of Belgium
Church	Roman Catholic
Archdiocese	Mechelen
Appointed	24 March 1884
In office	1884–1906
Predecessor	Victor-Auguste-Isidor Deschamps
Successor	Désiré-Joseph Mercier
Other post	Cardinal-Priest of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
Previous post	Bishop of Namur (1883–1884)
Orders
Ordination	21 December 1850 by Engelbert Sterckx
Consecration	24 June 1883 by Jean Joseph Faict
Created cardinal	24 May 1889 by Leo XIII
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born	18 July 1827 Perk, Steenokkerzeel, Belgium
Died	25 January 1906 (aged 78) Mechelen, Belgium
Buried	Perk, Steenokkerzeel

Pierre-Lambert Goossens (18 July 1827 – 25 January 1906) was a Belgian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Mechelen from 1884 until his death. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1889.

Biography

Pierre-Lambert Goossens was born in Perk, near Vilvoorde, and ordained to the priesthood on 21 December 1850. He then taught pedagogy at the seminary in Mechelen until 1858, also being named vice-pastor of its cathedral and private secretary to the Archbishop in 1856. After becoming an honorary canon in 1860, Goossens was made vicar general in 1878, and later a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness on 20 August 1880.

On 1 June 1883, Goossens was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Namur and Titular Bishop of Abdera. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 24 June from Bishop Jean Faict, with Bishops Victor Doutreloux and by Victor van den Branden de Reeth serving as co-consecrators. Goossens succeeded Victor-Auguste-Isidore Dechamps as Bishop of Namur on 16 July 1883, and was later named Archbishop of Mechelen and thus Primate of the Belgian Church on 24 March 1884.

Pope Leo XIII created him Cardinal-Priest of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in the consistory of 24 May 1889. Goossens was one of the cardinal electors in the 1903 papal conclave that selected Pope Pius X.

In 1895 he ordained Amadeus de Bie as Abbot of Bornem Abbey. He died in Mechelen, at age 78, and is buried in his native Perk.

Honours

• 1885: Commander in the Order of Leopold.
• 1900: Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold.

See also

• Archbishopric of Mechelen-Brussels

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Pierre-Lambert Goossens — Cardinal, Archbishop of Michlin (Belgium), b. at Perck, near Vilvorde, 18 July, 1827; d. at Michlin, 25 January, 1906.

After teaching at Bruel College at Michlin, he became, in 1856, curate at the cathedral and secretary of the archbishop, and, in April, 1078, vicar-general of Cardinal Dechamps. Meanwhile he had been appointed (1860) an honorary canon of the rnetropolitan chapter. In 1880 he was made a Roman prelate, and 24 June, 1883, was consecrated at Mechlin coadjutor-bishop to Mgr. Gravez whom he succeeded as Bishop of Namur 16 July following eight months later (24 March, 1884) he became Archbishop of Mechlin, and on 24 May, 1889, he was created Cardinal-Priest of the Title of Santa-Croce in Gerusalemme. Succeeding to the See of Mechlin just when the Belgian Catholics were about to depose the Masonic government which had oppressed them since 1879, he did much to perpetuate the strong hold on political power which the Catholic party has since possessed. In order to promote thorough Christian sentiments among the workmen of the great industrial centres of his diocese, also in distant country places he provided for them greater church facilities, caused many new churches to be built, and created eighty-six parishes in twenty-two years he founded in his diocese 840 primary schools, with an attendance of 120,000 children. He also multiplied high schools for girls and for boys, opened normal and professional schools, and founded ten colleges for the teaching of humanities. Tireless in promoting the economical interests of the working classes, he organized and presided over two general congresses and five district congresses in which the social question was the chief topic of discussion. On public occasions his manner was noble and stately, yet in his dealings with priests and people he was always amiable and unaffected, and had the secret of enlisting sacrifice and devotion. To kindness he joined prudence and discretion and was thus able to avoid conflicts with the State authorities. A talented writer, his style bore the impression of the masterpieces of French pulpit eloquence, of which he was an assiduous reader.

In his "Charges and Pastoral Letters" (five volumes) and his "Occasional Addresses" accuracy of ideas, delicacy of feeling, literary tact, and purity of diction are always predominant characteristics. Though not himself a savant, he was alive to scientific needs, and greatly encouraged scientific progress in the University of Louvain, of which he was the chief patron. He reorganized the archives of his archdiocese and encouraged historical research among his clergy by requiring each parish priest to furnish his with an historical monograph on his parish.

His published works are: "Collectio Epistolarum pastoralium, decretorum, aliorumque documentorum" (5 vols., Mechlin, 1889-1906); "Discours sur la question sociale" (Mechlin, 1894); "Choix de conférences, discours et allocutions" (Mechlin, 1906).

External links

• Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
• Catholic-Hierarchy ^{[self-published]}
• Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pierre-Lambert Goossens". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.