Luc Ravel

Luc Marie Daniel Ravel, C.R.S.V. (born 21 May 1957) is a French prelate of the Catholic Church, who was the Archbishop of Strasbourg from 2017 to 2023, when he resigned at the age of 66. He was bishop of the Diocese of the French Armed Forces from 2009 to 2017.

His Excellency The Most Reverend

Luc Ravel
Archbishop Emeritus of Strasbourg
Orders
Ordination25 June 1988
Consecration29 November 2009
by André Vingt-Trois
Personal details
Born
Luc Marie Daniel Ravel

(1957-05-21) May 21, 1957
Paris, France
NationalityFrench
Alma mater
MottoEst, est
(Literally: "It is, it is")
(Poetically: "That your yes be yes") Matthew 5:37
SignatureLuc Ravel's signature
Styles of
Luc Ravel
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleMonsignor

Early life

Ravel was born in Paris on 21 May 1957[1] to a family with origins in Martinique and Réunion on his father's side, and in the Var department of France on his mother's side. He was born the fourth child in a family of three girls and four boys. He graduated from the École Polytechnique and studied to become an engineer at the IFP School. He studied philosophy and theology at the Abbey Saint-Pierre in the commune of Champagne, in the Ardèche department in southern France, and at the University of Poitiers.[1]

Career

He made his solemn profession as a Canon Regular of St. Victor[lower-alpha 1] on 7 December 1985 and was ordained a priest on 25 June 1988.[1]

He was then prior at the Church of Saint-Charles at Porrentruy, in Jura, Switzerland, at Montbron, and at the Tardoire and Bandiat deanery in Charente. He returned to the Abbey of Saint-Pierre where he was master of novices from 1996 to 2007 and subprior from 2003 to 2009.[2] He founded Notre-Dame de l'Écoute, a movement for single and celibate people.[3]

He was appointed bishop of the Diocese of the French Armed Forces by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 October 2009.[1]

He received his episcopal consecration in Notre Dame Cathedral on 29 November 2009 from Cardinal André Vingt-Trois.[4] He was elected a member of the Doctrinal Commission of the Bishops' Conference of France in 2011.

Ravel called abortion a "weapon of mass destruction" and called for the return of the abortion debate in French society in the Armed Forces monthly magazine in February 2015. In response, the French Defence Minister asked the Diocese's magazine to stop displaying the Army's logo on the cover so as to distance the Army from its content.[5]

Ravel was appointed Archbishop of Strasbourg on 18 February 2017.[2][6]

His tenure in Strasbourg proved turbulent, as he was criticized for an authoritarian management style and neglect of his duties. He was the only French bishop to support French President Emmanuel Macron in the 2022 election and skipped the annual chrism Mass to attend a Macron rally. He supported the work of the Missionaries of Divine Mercy to evangelize Muslims, a controversial approach in contrast to interfaith dialog. His dismissal of several senior diocesan officials provoked concern,[7] as did his removal of women and laymen from archdiocesan councils.[8] In response to complaints the Vatican conducted an apostolic visitation of the Strasbourg archdiocese in the summer of 2022.[lower-alpha 2] Ravel then resisted when his resignation was demanded. In late March 2023, he removed his vicar general, who was thought a likely candidate to manage the archdiocese if Ravel resigned.[10][lower-alpha 3] Ravel submitted his resignation on 20 April 2023.[7]

Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 27 May 2023 and named Archbishop-Bishop Philippe Ballot of Metz to administer the archdiocese.[11] Macron's consent, given on 24 May, was published the same day.[12] Because the appointment of Strasbourg's archbishop is governed by the Concordat of 1801, Ravel's removal required the assent of the French president, which Ravel had hoped would not be forthcoming.[13]

Notes
  1. The Canons Regular of St. Victor, suppressed in 1790, was revived in 1968. In 1993 it became the Congregation of St. Victor attached to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine.
  2. The investigation was conducted by Stanislas Lalanne, bishop of Pontoise, assisted by Archbishop Joël Mercier, former secretary of the Dicastery for the Clergy.[9]
  3. Ravel removed his auxiliary Christian Kratz as vicar general citing the mishandling of the case of a priest convicted of sexual abuse, though he did not explain what Kratz's responsibility was.[10]

References
  1. "Rinunce e Nomine, 07.10.2009" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. "Mgr Luc Ravel, nouvel archevêque de Strasbourg". Radio Vatican. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. "Notre Dame de l'Écoute". Canons Regular of Saint Victor (in French). Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  4. "Mgr Luc Ravel élu académicien au fauteuil de Jean Cluzel le 28 novembre 2022". Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques (in French). 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. "Le mensuel du diocèse aux armées ne pourra plus utiliser le logo de l'armée". La Croix (in French). 27 March 2015.
  6. Houdaille, Clémence (18 February 2017). "Mgr Luc Ravel, nouvel archevêque de Strasbourg". La Croix. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  7. Heneghan, Tom (24 April 2023). "Beleaguered Strasbourg archbishop quits amid complaints". The Tablet. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  8. "Pope Francis accepts French archbishop's resignation". Deutsche Welle. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  9. "Diocèse de Strasbourg: le pape François ordonne une inspection générale". Le Point (in French). Agence France Presse. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  10. Henning, Christophe (5 April 2023). "French archbishop investigated by Vatican callously sidelines auxiliary". La Croix. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  11. "Rinunce e nomine, 27.05.2023" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  12. "Décret du 24 mai 2023 portant agrément de la démission de l'archevêque de Strasbourg, NOR: IOMD23132730". Journal officiel de la République française (in French). 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  13. "Ein Erzbistum hängt in der Schwebe". Domradio (in German). 20 April 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023. Because the Concordat provides for a cumbersome procedure for the appointment and resignation of the bishops of Strasbourg and Metz, according to which the President of the Republic ultimately appoints the candidate bishop at the suggestion of the Pope.
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