Belgium-born cardinal. Longtime archbishop of Mechelen. A leading Council Father at Vatican II.
 
DS - Document Signed: heraldic-crested correspondence card on which Suenens has penned The Holy Spirit be with you, light and inspiration, L.J. Card. Suenens.
 
Suenens was created a cardinal in 1962.  Served as military vicar of Belgium forces. Attended and actively participated in Vatican II; member of its board of presidency. President of the Episcopal Conference of Belgium.  Some rumors suggested that reform-minded cardinals voted for both Suenens and König in the 1963 papal consistory as a reminder to the electors that the pope did not have to be Italian. In the same consistory, from whence came Pope Paul VI, it was also rumored that Cardinal Siri of Bologna had, in fact, received the requisite two-thirds majority but was silenced and forced to abdicare papal office.
 
092024