His Eminence Josef Richard Frings |
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Cardinal, Archbishop of Cologne | |
Sculpture of Frings in Cologne
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Church | Roman Catholic |
Archdiocese | Cologne |
Province | Cologne |
Diocese | Cologne |
Installed | 21 June 1942 |
Term ended | 10 February 1969 |
Predecessor | Karl Joseph Schulte |
Successor | Joseph Cardinal Höffner |
Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of San Giovanni a Porta Latina |
Orders | |
Ordination | 10 August 1910 by Anton Hubert Fischer |
Consecration | 21 June 1942 by Cesare Orsenigo |
Created Cardinal | 18 February 1946 by Pius XII |
Personal details | |
Born | 6 February 1887 Neuss |
Died | 17 December 1978 Cologne |
(aged 91)
Buried | Cologne Cathedral |
Nationality | German |
Denomination | Catholic |
Motto | Pro Hominibus Constitutus (Appointed for men) |
Coat of arms |
Josef Richard Frings (6 February 1887 – 17 December 1978), was a German Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cologne from 1942 to 1969. Considered a significant figure in Catholic resistance to Nazism, he was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946 by Pope Pius XII.
Frings was born as the first of eight children of Heinrich, a weaving industrialist and manufacturer, and Maria (née Sels) Frings, in Neuss. After 1905 he studied Catholic theology in Munich, Innsbruck, Freiburg and Bonn. On 10 August 1910, he received his ordination to the priesthood. He was baptised on 10 August 1884.
At first he worked as a chaplain in Cologne-Zollstock until 1913 followed by a study visit in Rome until 1915. In 1916 he earned a doctorate in Theology in Freiburg. From 1915 until 1922 he was community Reverend in Cologne-Fühlingen. Afterwards he worked as a principal of an orphanage in Neuss from 1922 until 1924 and until 1937 he was the community reverend of Cologne-Braunsfeld. Subsequently he led the archiepiscopal seminary in Bensberg.
During his time as the clergyman of Cologne-Braunsfeld, he got acquainted with the mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenauer. In Adenauer's opinion, Frings had a wrong point of view about child education. Up to the time when Adenauer was chancellor and Frings became cardinal, their relationship was decidedly cool.