– During the Angelus on Sunday. October 6, 2024, in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Francis announced the appointment of twenty-one new cardinals. He also emphasized that their origin “expresses the universality of the Church that continues to announce the merciful love of God to all men on earth,” and that their inclusion in the Diocese of Rome “manifests the inseparable link between the See of Peter and the particular Churches spread throughout the world.” Among the new cardinals to be created during the Consistory on Saturday, December 7, 2024, there is a friar from the Conventual Franciscan Order, the Archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan of the Latins in Iran. I had the pleasure and joy of interviewing him.
– Since my arrival in Iran, I have felt a responsibility, together with our faithful, to be a steward of the doors of our churches. Unfortunately, due to external circumstances, those doors are not yet open to all. However, they are still quietly welcoming entrances. Permitting a cardinal to be present within the Islamic Republic gives the local Church outward visibility and provides the universal Church with a new foothold in the world, enabling it to embrace as many cultures as possible.
– Your Eminence, how did you feel when you heard you had been appointed a cardinal? How do you envision your new service to the Church and the Holy See? With what spirit do you wish to carry out the duties of a cardinal with which you have been entrusted?
– I was so surprised, my pale hands were shaking. I needed some time to regain control of my emotions. I liken this new role to being an advisor to the Minister General, to being an Assistant General for an area and a General Definitor for the Order. I am therefore the Archbishop for the Latins in Iran and a Cardinal in Iran, as the Holy Father said in the letter that he sent to us new cardinals, “with our eyes raised to heaven,” meaning we are expanding our vision to encompass the entire world. I gladly accept the Holy Father’s request to think of this role as a diaconate, serving the Word of God and the People of God.
– At this point, I would like to ask you to reflect on your past, particularly the important stages of your life, especially your experience as a Franciscan friar, and share with us your thoughts and insights on the mission of the contemporary Church.
Let me first ask you how much your family, school, parish, ecclesial and social environment prepared you to take on the responsibilities of your future life? What memories and events from your childhood and early youth do you cherish in your heart?
– I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect once again on God’s plan for my life. In my view, nothing about my early childhood prepared me for the episcopate, let alone the cardinalate. However, along the way, I must admit that everything I have experienced, and am still experiencing, is part of, and serves, God’s plan.
I could never do justice to all the people and places that have helped shape me. My family’s history is marked by priests and religious whom we knew in life or through stories. I went to two Catholic schools―the Marist Brothers in Arlon and the Xaverians in Bruges [Belgium)―whose brothers and teachers were dedicated to young people. Moreover, they never discouraged God’s calling, even when society viewed such a vocation as a psychological illness. The parish where I served as an altar boy and acolyte was not just a parish, it was a double basilica—Romanesque and Gothic—in Bruges, dedicated to the Holy Blood, a relic of which was enshrined there in the Middle Ages and has been venerated ever since, carried through the city streets each year in a grand procession. My judo club taught me self-discipline, and my astronomy club expanded my horizons to the unfathomable wonders of the universe. There were the statues of the Virgin Mary on every street corner, and many country chapels dedicated to her.
– When did you first feel called to religious and priestly life? What motivated your decision to join the Conventual Franciscans? What is your opinion of the formation you received from your Order? Did it have a significant influence on your subsequent attitude and behavior?
– When I was five, I was visiting the convent church of the Poor Clares in Arlon with my father, when I felt a call from God. As a young boy, I served as an altar server at St. Savior’s Cathedral in Bruges. Later, I served at the Basilica of the Holy Blood until I was twenty. By then, I was already attracted to the priesthood having been inspired by the exemplary lives of priests—some of whom were in my family.
When I was twelve, I started thinking about becoming a bishop. When I was a teenager, I was living in the room of a Capuchin ancestor of mine who had been a missionary bishop in the Congo. In his library, in addition to books of piety, there were stories about the work of the Oblates in the far north and of the Jesuits in the Far East. These particularly captured my interest in doing missionary work. However, it was the black-and-white photographs of Assisi in a book about St. Francis that touched me the most. My entire youth had been immersed in the serene atmosphere of nearby abbeys and beguinages [convents for laywomen], country shrines and chapels dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and sumptuous Gothic and solemn Romanesque churches. Nevertheless, the friary of the Conventual Franciscans of the Custody of St. Bonaventure, and its adjoining public Chapel of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Tiensestraat Street in Leuven, Belgium, was where I truly fell in love with the religious life that I ultimately embraced.
I am fascinated by fraternity in all its complexity and the way it is complemented by diversity. It is an ongoing challenge, rooted in Jesus Christ, that reaches its fulfillment in the Eucharist.
I received my religious and academic formation in an international environment. At the Seraphicum College in Rome, Father BLASUCCI emphasized how crucial this experience is for religious life. Throughout the many years I lived alone in a friary due to various circumstances, being part of an international Order and religious family from all walks of life was a great support to me and still is in my current context. This has created invaluable bonds of prayerful closeness with others.
That’s why I try to bring the faithful and communities together, if not under the same roof, then at least under the same sky. I will use all the means at my disposal without ever losing heart, trusting in God who has entrusted us with our common home so that we may live in universal brotherhood, in the footsteps of St. Francis, to whom the Creator gave brothers.
– What do you find most appealing about Franciscan spirituality? Which Franciscan saints do you consider spiritual guides and models that you can refer to in your journey of communion with God?
– Contemplating God in His creation, finding His presence in the great and small things of the world, and persevering through adversity in conformity with Jesus Christ. A Flemish confrere taught me to value the founder of our Order, but perhaps even more so, to value the foundation of the Order and all those who have contributed to it over the centuries. They have translated the spirit of the Seraphic Father into a living and relevant charism for all times and ages.
– What have been the most beautiful moments of your priestly ministry? What pastoral and apostolic experiences have you gained during your time as a bishop? Is the motto, “Deus meus in Te confido” (My God, I trust in You), which you chose for your episcopal coat of arms, a source of hope and strength for you in overcoming challenges and difficulties?
– For years in Brussels I spent countless hours in sitting rooms, patiently listening to people’s suffering until I was exhausted. I realized that the devil had exploited my gift of listening to bring me down. This experience taught me the right perspective on matters. And that’s why, when I arrived in Beirut, the confessional became my garden. Although there were weeds to be pulled, I gave priority to the plants that needed tending. Committing to a virtuous life means not allowing vices to take control. Ultimately, only love prevails.
First of all, I realized that, although nothing seemed to lead me to this episcopal service in the Church, my entire previous religious journey had actually prepared me for it. It was akin to the broadening of horizons that we experience within the Order. As members of a community, we dedicate ourselves to the tasks assigned to us, whether at the Provincial or General level. However, our perspective expands, and to use a contemporary term, the responsibility to take part in the process of “synodality” increases, too.
“My God, I trust in You.” Through God, with God, and in God, we discover the talents we need to fulfill our purpose. We must offer these talents to God and our neighbor, knowing that nothing is impossible for God—especially when we feel we’ve reached our limit and the end of the situation seems further away than ever. After His terrible death on the cross, the Risen Lord promised us eternal life.
– The Second Vatican Council, and the recent popes, advocate for a Christianity that is open to dialogue with every person and social institution. In this context, how do you view the role and mission of a “Church which goes forth” and a Church that “reaches the peripheries” of the world? How can we attract those who are “estranged” from the Church? How can we make our “neighbors,” those who already belong to it, even more passionate about the ecclesial community?
– The Church’s mission is to be on a mission, to go forth and hear the cries of the earth and humanity, especially the poor. The story of the Good Samaritan and the account of St. Francis with the leper show that getting past the principles and beliefs that make us look away or cross to the other side of the street and choosing instead to engage with others, is beneficial for everyone.
Cardinal CARDIJN imparted to his Young Christian Workers the model of “See―Judge―Act.” This principle remains significant today. The [2021-2024] Synod on synodality emphasized the themes of “Communion―Participation―Mission.” In the 2024 session of this Synod, the Holy Father added the theme “Mercy” as an additional focus.
If we want to respond to the Lord’s call to be fishers of men, we must recognize that the disciples were experienced fishermen. After catching nothing, they still cast their nets where Jesus instructed them and pulled in a miraculous catch of fish. This event occurred at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and again after His death and resurrection.
We must, therefore, let ourselves be challenged, questioned, and learn to believe in the presence and action of Jesus in our darkness. He is our Savior, and we must be authentic disciples in order to be credible witnesses. Only then can we truly be the salt of the earth, living leaven, and a lamp set on a stand.
– In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges the Church faces today? What is the Church’s greatest hope in our time?
– The Church’s credibility in addressing the challenges of the world. Clear challenges include cultural diversity and religious pluralism. Greater “synodality” will lead to a more polycentric and inclusive Church. The Church’s authenticity—meaning the conformity of its testimony and actions with its teachings—does not prevent unity in diversity.
– Your Eminence, we have come to the final question: what words of encouragement would you like to share with our confreres who are spreading the Franciscan charism throughout the world?
– Let us try, with simple hearts, in the sequela Christi, in the footsteps of Francis and his followers, in fraternity in the Holy Spirit, to promote justice, peace, and joy, which will unite all of humanity as brothers and sisters, one to another, with a view to building our common home.
– Thank you very much for granting us this interview and for sharing your rich experience with us. I wholeheartedly wish you the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit, the protection of Mary Immaculate, and the intercession of our patron saints, especially our Seraphic Father St. Francis, in the fruitful exercise of your ministry as cardinal, for the good of the universal Church and all the holy people of God.
Rome, Friary of the Twelve Holy Apostles, December 10, 2024
Interviewer: Friar Sławomir GAJDA, OFM Conv.
Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, OFM Conv., was born on June 13, 1963, in Arlon, Belgium. In 1970, he moved to Bruges, then to Sint Kruis in 1977 and to Damme in 1983. He began his education at the Institut Sainte-Marie des Frères Maristes elementary school in Arlon (1969-1970), followed by the Sint Franciscus Xaverius Institute in Bruges (1970-1975). From 1975 to 1978, he attended middle school at that last institute and from 1978 to 1983, he attended a linguistic high school with a focus on economic sciences. On October 3, 1983, he entered the novitiate of the Friars Minor Conventual in Schwarzenberg, Germany. He professed his simple vows on September 23, 1984, in Damme, Belgium, and began studying philosophy and theology at the Seraphicum College in Rome the same year. He completed his studies there in 1989. He professed his solemn vows on September 20, 1987, at the Conventual Franciscan Church of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows in Halle, Belgium, and was ordained to the priesthood on September 24, 1989, in the Church of the Assumption of the B.V.M. in Damme, Belgium. He spent a year doing ministry at the friary in Louvain, Belgium. From 1990 to 2012, he lived at the friary in Brussels, where, starting in 1995, he served as the Rector of the National Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua. He then spent six months, between 2012 and 2013, at the friary in Halle. While serving in the Conventual Franciscan Province of Belgium, which later became a General Delegation, he held several positions, including Vocation Promoter (1989-1995), Provincial Secretary (1992-1995), Minister Provincial (1995-2001), and General Delegate (2001-2012). In 2013, he moved to Lebanon and became a member of the Provincial Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land. There, he held several positions, including Custodial Secretary (2014-2018) and formator (2016-2019). He served as a member of the friary in Sin-El-Fil, Beirut (2013-2015), then the friary in Zahle, Lebanon (2015-2018), and returned to the friary in Sin-El-Fil (2018-2019). During the 2019 General Chapter, he was elected Assistant General for the Order for the countries of Central Europe (Centralis Europae Foederatio). On January 8, 2021, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan for Latin Catholics in Iran. He was consecrated at the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome, on February 16, 2021, the feast of St. Maruthas, Patron Saint of Iran. For his episcopal motto he chose: “Deus meus in Te confido” (My God, I trust in You). He arrived in Iran on November 12, 2021, and took possession of the archdiocese on December 4, 2021. The ceremony took place, exceptionally, at the nunciature, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio and an Assyrian-Chaldean priest. On December 31, 2021, he received a work permit from the local authorities and celebrated his first public Mass on January 1, 2022, marking his entry into the Cathedral of the Consolata. Since March 30, 2022, he has served as the President of the Iranian Episcopal Conference. Pope Francis announced that he would create him a cardinal on December 7, 2024, the eve of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M., and assigned him the Church of Santa Giovanna Antida Thouret in Rome as his titular church.