Thomas Williams (cardinal) explained

Type:cardinal
Honorific-Prefix:His Eminence
Thomas Williams
Cardinal, Archbishop of Wellington
Archdiocese:Wellington
Appointed:30 October 1979
Term Start:20 December 1979
Term End:21 March 2005
Predecessor:Reginald Delargey
Successor:John Dew
Other Post:Cardinal-Priest of Gesù Divin Maestro alla Pineta Sacchetti
Ordination:20 December 1959
Ordained By:Gregorio Pietro Agagianian
Consecration:20 December 1979
Consecrated By:Owen Snedden
Cardinal:2 February 1983
Created Cardinal By:John Paul II
Rank:Cardinal-Priest
Birth Date:20 March 1930
Birth Place:Wellington, New Zealand
Death Place:Waikanae, New Zealand
Religion:Roman Catholic
Previous Post:Ordinary of the Military Ordinariate of New Zealand (1995–2005)
Motto:Unity in Christ
Coat Of Arms:Coat of arms of Thomas Stafford Williams.svg

Thomas Stafford Williams (20 March 1930 – 22 December 2023) was a New Zealand cardinal in the Catholic Church and the fifth Archbishop of Wellington from 1979 to 2005.

Early life and education

Williams was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and educated at Holy Cross Primary School, Seatoun; SS Peter and Paul School, Lower Hutt; St. Patrick's College, Wellington; and St Kevin's College, Oamaru. He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Victoria University College, and worked for some years as an accountant. During his studies, he was deeply involved in the Catholic Youth Movement (YCW) and for a period worked full-time for the movement. In 1954, he commenced studies for the priesthood at the National Seminary, Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, Dunedin. In 1956 he was sent to the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in theology and was ordained a priest on 20 December 1959. Later he received a social sciences degree from University College Dublin.[1]

Career

Early church career

Returning to Wellington, Williams served as assistant pastor and as Director of Studies at the Catholic Enquiry Centre. He left that post when he volunteered to serve as a missionary in Samoa (today the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia), where he was parish priest for five years. He returned to New Zealand in 1963 and became parish priest at St. Patrick's in Palmerston North for two years. This was followed by four years as Director of the Catholic Enquiry Centre in Wellington. In 1971 he moved to Leulumoega, Samoa and returned to New Zealand in 1976 to the Holy Family Parish in Porirua East.[2] [3] He celebrated the 60th year of his ordination in December 2019.[4]

Archbishop of Wellington

Williams became Archbishop of Wellington on 20 December 1979 – his 20th anniversary of priestly ordination[5] – following the death of Reginald Cardinal Delargey. His principal consecrator was Owen Snedden, long-term Auxiliary Bishop of Wellington. Williams was created Cardinal-Priest of the titular church of Jesus the Divine Teacher at Pineta Sacchetti by Pope John Paul II on 2 February 1983.[6]

Cardinal Name:Thomas Williams
Dipstyle:His Eminence
Offstyle:Your Eminence
See:Wellington (emeritus)

He was additionally appointed Military Ordinary in 1995. He was appointed a Member of the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand's highest civilian honour, in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours.[7] [8]

Williams campaigned strongly against the passage of the law allowing civil unions in New Zealand saying it would turn New Zealand into a "moral wasteland".[9] He also campaigned against the expansion of casinos.[10]

Conclave and retirement

Williams was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.[11] He resigned as Archbishop of Wellington on 21 March 2005 having reached the age of 75 and was succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop John Dew.[12]

In retirement, Williams lived at a retirement village in Waikanae. He died there on 22 December 2023, at the age of 93.[13]

Selected works

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Williams, Thomas Stafford . . CNA (Catholic News Agency) . 9 August 2019.
  2. Web site: Archbishop Emeritus . catholic.org . 9 August 2019.
  3. Web site: Williams, Thomas Stafford . . Catholic News Agency (CNA) . 13 August 2019.
  4. Web site: Cardinal Tom Williams – 60 Year Jubilee | Archdiocese of Wellington. 6 March 2020.
  5. Web site: Wellington Cardinal celebrates 50 years of priesthood . catholic.org . New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference . 7 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Williams, Thomas Stafford . . Catholic News Agency (CNA) . 10 August 2019.
  7. Web site: Cardinal Thomas S Williams ONZ DD . catholic.org . 6 August 2019.
  8. Web site: Queen's Birthday honours list 2000 (including special list for East Timor) . 5 June 2000 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 4 July 2020.
  9. Web site: NZ gay law 'to make moral wasteland'. https://archive.today/20040807210252/http://www.cathnews.com/news/406/163.php. dead. 7 August 2004. 7 August 2004. cathnews.com. 31 August 2017.
  10. Web site: News Features – Catholic Culture. https://archive.today/20130121154503/http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=6474. dead. 21 January 2013. 21 January 2013. catholicculture.org. 31 August 2017.
  11. Web site: Johnston . Martin . NZ prelate backs bags for Rome . . 6 August 2019.
  12. Web site: Wellington Cardinal celebrates 50 years of priesthood . catholic.org.nz . New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference . 7 August 2019.
  13. News: RIP Thomas Cardinal Williams 20 March 1930 – 22 December 2023 . 22 December 2023 . Scoop Regional . 22 December 2023.