{{Short description|English cardinal}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = cardinal | honorific-prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Bernard Griffin | honorific-suffix = | title = [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]], [[Archbishop of Westminster]] | image = Katolsk kirkefest i Trondheim. - L0018 311Fo30141604280126 (Bernard Griffin cropped).jpg | caption = Cardinal Griffin in 1953 | church = [[Roman Catholic Church]] | province = | diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster|Westminster]] | appointed = 18 December 1943 | term_end = 19 August 1956 | predecessor = [[Arthur Hinsley]] | successor = [[William Godfrey]] | other_post = [[San Gregorio Magno al Celio|Cardinal Priest of Santi Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio]] | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|Titular Bishop of Appia (1938-1943)|[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham|Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham]] (1938-1943)}} <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 1 November 1924 | consecration = 30 June 1938 | consecrated_by = [[Thomas Leighton Williams]], [[John Patrick Barrett]] and [[William Lee (bishop of Clifton)|William Lee]] | cardinal = 18 February 1946 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pius XII]] | rank = Cardinal Priest <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = Bernard William Griffin | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1899|2|21}} | birth_place = [[Birmingham]], [[Warwickshire]], England, [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]] | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1956|8|19|1899|2|21}} | death_place = [[New Polzeath]], [[Cornwall]], United Kingdom | buried = [[Westminster Cathedral]], [[London]], England, United Kingdom | nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]] | religion = [[Roman Catholic]] | residence = | parents = William Griffin & Helen Swadkins | spouse = | children = | motto = ''Da mihi animas'' (Give me souls) | occupation = | profession = | alma_mater = [[English College, Rome]] | signature = | coat_of_arms = File:Coat of Arms Bernard Griffin.svg }} {{Infobox cardinalstyles | cardinal name = Bernard Griffin | dipstyle = [[His Eminence]] | offstyle = Your Eminence | image= File:Coat of Arms Bernard Griffin.svg | image_size = 250px | relstyle = (autofilled) }} '''Bernard William Griffin''' (21 February 1899 &ndash; 19 August 1956) was an [[United Kingdom|English]] [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Miranda |first=Salvador |title=Bernard William Griffin |url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1946.htm#Griffin |work=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church |access-date=2015-03-07 |archive-date=2016-05-07 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160507211605/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1946.htm%23Spellman#Griffin |url-status=live }}</ref> He served as [[Archbishop of Westminster]] from 1943 until his death, and was elevated to the [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinalate]] in 1946 by [[Pope Pius XII]].

==Biography== Bernard and his twin brother Basil were born in [[Birmingham]] to William and Helen (née Swadkins) Griffin. His father was a bicycle manufacturer, Birmingham City councillor and [[justice of the peace]].<ref name="Surprise">[https://web.archive.org/web/20081215005048/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,885292,00.html "Surprise"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. (3 January 1944).</ref>

When the [[First World War]] broke out in 1914 both Bernard and Basil joined the [[Royal Naval Air Service]], with whom Bernard served as an [[Air Raid Precautions|air-raid warden]].<ref name="Surprise"/> During this time he suffered a heart attack but concealed it from [[physicians]] in order to avoid a [[Military discharge|discharge]] which he feared would prevent his acceptance for the priesthood.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930065856/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809140,00.html "New Archbishop"]. ''Time''. (18 February 1957).</ref>

After the war Bernard went to [[St Mary's College, Oscott|Oscott College]] in Birmingham to train to be a priest. [[Holy orders in the Catholic Church|Ordained]] to the [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priesthood]] on 1 November 1924, he finished his studies at the [[Venerable English College, Rome|Venerable English College]] in [[Rome]] in 1927. Griffin then worked as private secretary to [[John McIntyre (archbishop of Birmingham)|John McIntyre]], the [[Archdiocese of Birmingham|Archbishop of Birmingham]], until 1937. From 1929 to 1938, he served as [[Chancellor (ecclesiastical)|diocesan chancellor]] of Birmingham, director of studies of the [[Catholic Evidence Guild]], Catholic representative on the [[BBC]]'s religious advisory committee, and administrator of [[Diocese|diocesan]] [[Charitable organization|charitable homes]].

On 26 May 1938, Griffin was appointed [[Auxiliary bishop|Auxiliary Bishop]] of Birmingham and [[Titular bishop|Titular Bishop]] of Appia. He received his [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|episcopal consecration]] on 30 June from [[Thomas Williams (Archbishop of Birmingham)]], with [[John Barrett (bishop)|John Barrett]], [[Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth|Bishop of Plymouth]], and [[William Lee (Bishop of Clifton)]], serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]], in the [[Cathedral of Saint Chad, Birmingham]]. [[Pius XII]] raised Griffin to [[Archbishop of Westminster]], and thus ranking prelate in the [[Catholic Church in England and Wales]], on 18 December 1943. At his installation Mass in [[Westminster Cathedral]], he defended the sanctity of [[marriage]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930075709/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,803176,00.html "Pretty Pass"]. ''Time''. (18 February 1946).</ref>

Griffin was created [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal-Priest]] of [[San Gregorio Magno al Celio]] by Pius XII in the [[Papal consistory|consistory]] of 18 February 1946. At age 46, he was the youngest cardinal to be appointed at the ceremony, to which he wore the tailored ''[[cappa magna]]'' of his deceased predecessor cardinal, [[Arthur Hinsley]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930031450/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,792623,00.html "On the Roads to Rome"]. ''Time''. (31 January 1944).</ref> He acted as [[papal legate]] to the [[centennial]] celebration of the [[Universalis Ecclesiae|restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in England]] in 1950.

As cardinal, Griffin took a keen interest in the rebuilding of post-war Britain arguing especially for the provision of Catholic schools. He was seen by some as [[Liberalism|liberal]] in areas of [[Catholic social teaching|social principles]]. He also supported Sir [[William Beveridge]].<ref name="Surprise"/>

Griffin upheld the doctrine of the [[perpetual virginity of Mary]],<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930065913/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,891232-1,00.html "Jesus & His Brethren"]. ''Time''. (23 May 1955).</ref> and was once a president on the [[Council of Christians and Jews]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081215071831/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861105,00.html "The Catholics Leave"]. ''Time''. (10 January 1955).</ref>

Griffin died from a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] in [[New Polzeath]], at age 57,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080308012832/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,824381,00.html "Milestones"]. ''Time''. (3 September 1956).</ref> and was buried at [[Westminster Cathedral]].

His coat of arms is blazoned ''Gules issuant from a barrulet enarched in base a sweet william plant in pale Or supported by a Saint Bernard dog dexter and a griffin wings addorsed sinister Or'', thus representing his full name.

On the 22 October 1960, Bernard's twin brother, Basil, laid the foundation stone of [[Cardinal Griffin Catholic College]] in [[Cannock]], [[Staffordshire]].

==Assessment== {{norefs|section|date=November 2022}} [[Adrian Hastings]], an historian of English Catholicism, considered Griffin to be "the least important Archbishop of Westminster of the century, a nice, hard-working non-entity", and another English Catholic writer, [[Peter Stanford]], in his book on [[Cardinal Hume]], calls Griffin "an obscure but talented provincial auxiliary."

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://rcdow.org.uk/cardinal/previous-archbishops/] *[https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios-g.htm#Griffin Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church] *[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgriffinb.html Catholic-Hierarchy] * {{PM20|FID=pe/006516}}

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef| before=[[Arthur Hinsley]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Archbishop of Westminster]] | years=1943&ndash;1956}} {{s-aft|after=[[William Godfrey]]}}

{{s-bef| before=[[Jusztinián György Serédi]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Cardinal priest]] of [[List of titular churches in Rome|SS. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio]] |years=1946&ndash;1956}} {{s-aft|after=[[John Francis O'Hara]]}} {{end}}

{{Cardinals created by Pius XII}} {{Diocese of Westminster}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Bernard}} [[Category:1899 births]] [[Category:1956 deaths]] [[Category:Clergy from Birmingham, West Midlands]] [[Category:Alumni of St Mary's College, Oscott]] [[Category:English College, Rome alumni]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Westminster]] [[Category:20th-century British cardinals]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Pius XII]] [[Category:Burials at Westminster Cathedral]] [[Category:British Roman Catholic archbishops]]