Paul Josef Cordes (5 September 1934 – 15 March 2024) was a German cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

He received his episcopal consecration on 1 February 1976 from Archbishop Johannes Joachim Degenhardt, with Cardinal Julius Döpfner and Bishop Paul Nordhues serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of Paderborn.

Cordes entered the service of the Roman Curia upon his appointment as vice-president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity on 11 March 1980.

[2] On 2 December 1995, Cordes was made President of Pontifical Council Cor Unum,[2] and he was raised to the rank of archbishop.

He served as a special papal envoy to the peoples of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, when they were struck by Hurricane Mitch from 29 November to 3 December 1998.