His Eminence Godfried Danneels (born June 4, 1933) is the archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and the chairman of the Belgian episcopal conference.
Born in Kanegem, West Flanders, he entered the Grand Seminary of Bruges to become a priest. He was ordained in 1957. He studied Thomistic philosophy at the Higher Institute for Philosophy in Leuven and theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. After obtaining his doctorate in theology, he taught at the Bruges seminary and at the Catholic University of Leuven.
As a scholar, he carried out a profound study of the liturgy. The articles he wrote for the Dictionary of the Liturgy have made him famous throughout the Catholic world.
He was actively involved in writing Sacrosanctum Concilium, a document which initiated the liturgic reform of the second Vatican Council.
In 1977, Danneels was nominated bishop of the Antwerp diocese by Pope Paul VI. Already two years later, Pope John Paul II promoted him to archbishop of Belgium. He received the title of cardinal in 1983.
Since 2001, Cardinal Danneels has been a part of the permanent secretariat of the episcopal synod. He is also a member of the Roman Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and of the Congregation for the Clergy. Between 1990 and 1999, he was international chairman for Pax Christi.
His episcopal motto, Apparuit humanitas Dei nostri (Titus 3, 4), shows his attachment to a Christian humanism. He is seen as one of the leaders of the "reformist party" within the church. For instance, he has said that condoms are acceptable as a means of preventing AIDS.
Danneels has been tipped as a possible future pope, but this seems mere speculation. His progressive image and his recent call for a debate on limiting the term of the papacy have not won him many friends in the Vatican.