Léon Arthur Elchinger

Léon Arthur Auguste Elchinger ( born July 2, 1908 in Soufflenheim in Haguenau, Alsace, † 27 June 1998, Strasbourg) was bishop of Strasbourg.

Life

He came from a middle class family. After leaving school in Haguenau and Nancy, he studied Catholic theology in Strasbourg and Rome. There he was ordained a priest on April 4, 1931 and subsequently received his doctorate in theology and philosophy. After training he became a professor at the seminary in Strasbourg and since 1937 also a military chaplain. After the invasion of the German army in Alsace, the seminary was moved together with the University of Clermont -Ferrand and remained there until the end of the War of 1945. According to the vocation to the speakers for the school system in the diocesan administration, he was in 1947 honorary canon, and finally at the request of Bishop Jean -Julien Weber appointed bishop coadjutor with right of succession.

On January 16, 1958 he was ordained by Jean -Julien Weber as Auxiliary Bishop and Titular Bishop of Antandrus. Because of his intimate knowledge of German and French culture Cardinal Achille Liénart appointed him in 1962 to the bishop connection between the French and German Bishops' Conference. Here he was mainly involved in the work of the Second Vatican Council. On December 30, 1966, he took over the episcopate of his predecessor. On October 20, 1984 Elchinger resigned. In retirement he was active in journalism and reported regularly in the media on issues of the time.

Work

Elchinger was influenced both by his German - French origin, which is why he recognized the European dimension of political and theological decisions. Due to his constant " looking for a man near to God ," he was filled with a " holy restlessness " and zeal that was not always properly recognized and appreciated. He was strongly committed to ecumenism.