Levada, William Joseph*

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 June 15, 1936 in Long Beach, California. He was ordained a priest on December 20, 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 March 25, 1983 he was appointed titular Bishop of Capri and Auxiliary of Los Angeles. He received episcopal ordination on May 12, of the same year.

On July 1, 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 August 17, 1995 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of San Francisco and was named as the Archbishop of San Francisco on December 27, of that year.

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

On May 13, 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, all of which he retiered from on July 2, 2012.

On July 8, 2009 he was appointed President of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei,” which he also retiered from on July 2, 2012.

Created and proclaimed cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of March 24, 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.