Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission, Archbishop emeritus of San Francisco (U.S.A.), was born on 15 June 1936 in Long Beach, California. He was ordained a priest on 20 December 1961 and holds a degree in sacred theology.

After five years of pastoral ministry in Los Angeles, he was appointed as an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1976.

On 25 March 1983 he was appointed titular Bishop of Capri and Auxiliary of Los Angeles. He received episcopal ordination on 12 May of the same year.

On 1 July 1986 he was appointed Archbishop of Portland, and from 1986-93 he belonged to the editorial committee of the Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

On 17 August 1995 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of San Francisco and was named as the Archbishop of San Francisco on 27 December of that year.

In 2000, he was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

On 13 May 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Levada as his successor as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He is also president of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission.

Created and proclaimed cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 March 2006, of the Deaconry of Santa Maria in Domnica (St. Mary in Domnica).

Member of:

• Congregations: for Bishops; of the Causes of Saints; for the Evangelization of Peoples; for Catholic Education;
• Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity;
• Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei;
• Special Council for America of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

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