Cardinal Dominique Mathieu OFM Conv.

Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, December 7, 2024. One of the new cardinals is Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu OFM Conv. of Tehran-Isfahan, Iran. 

On December 10, Friar Sławomir Gajda interviewed Cardinal Mathieu. Here’s a brief excerpt:

What do you find most appealing about Franciscan spirituality?

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.

What is your opinion of the formation you received from your Order? Did it have a significant influence on your subsequent attitude and behavior?

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. … 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.

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?

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.

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.