Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
James Martin, S.J.July 09, 2008

Pope Benedict has appointed Luis Ladaria, SJ, as secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, replacing Archbishop Angelo Amato, who becomes prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Saints. Robert Mickens of the London Tablet reports:  "The 64-year-old Spaniard is a specialist in theological anthropology and has taught at the Gregorian since 1979.  The Pope knows him well, too, since he has been the secretary general of the International Theological Commission (of which the CDF chief is always president) since 2004 and was a member of the ITC from 1992-1997." 

As far as I know, this is the first time that a Jesuit has held this extremely influential position at the CDF, and is another indication of Benedict’s esteem for the Society of Jesus.

Here is the word (in easily understandable Italian) from the Vatican’s announcement, along with Fr. Ladaria’s impressive resume.

Il Santo Padre ha nominato Segretario della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede il Reverendo Padre Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.I., Professore di Teologia Dogmatica alla Pontificia Università Gregoriana e Segretario Generale della Commissione Teologica Internazionale, assegnandogli la Sede titolare di Tibica, con dignità di Arcivescovo.

 Padre Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.I.

È nato a Manacor, diocesi di Mallorca, il 19 aprile 1944.

Si è laureato in Giurisprudenza, all’Università di Madrid, nel 1966.

È entrato nella Compagnia di Gesù il 17 ottobre 1966.

Ha compiuto studi di Filosofia e Teologia all’Università Pontificia Comillas (Madrid) e presso la Philosophisch- theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen (Frankfurt am Main).

Ha ricevuto l’Ordinazione sacerdotale il 29 luglio 1973.

Ha conseguito il Dottorato in Teologia alla Pontificia Università Gregoriana nel 1975.

Dal 1975, professore di Teologia Dogmatica all’Università Pontificia Comillas di Madrid, dal 1984 Ordinario di Teologia dogmatica alla Facoltà di Teologia della Pontificia Università Gregoriana.

Vice-Rettore della Pontificia Università Gregoriana dal 1986 al 1994.

Membro della Commissione Teologica Internazionale dal 1992 al 1997.

Consultore della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede dal 1995.

Segretario Generale della Commissione Teologica Internazionale dal 2004.

James Martin, SJ

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
16 years 4 months ago
''Benedict's esteem for the Society of Jesus''? Someone who read the Pope's frank comments to the General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, February 21, 2008, or his letter to Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach of January 10, 2008, to speak only of the most obvious recent examples, might not formulate this so univocally.
16 years 4 months ago
To respond briefly to S. Walter: Actually, every Jesuit delegate from the General Congregation with whom I spoke, and every delegate who has spoken publicly about the GC, has remarked on the genuine warmth of Benedict's words; his comment that the church needed the Society of Jesus; and, also, his mentioning Jesuits about whom one would imagine the pope might not speak warmly--specifically, Pedro Arrupe, S.J., and Matteo Ricci, S.J. One of the great ironies of his final talk to the General Congregation was that those in the press reported it as 'Pope scolds Jesuits' while those in the room were--seemingly to a person--deeply moved by his affection.

The latest from america

A Reflection for Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time, by Valerie Schultz
Valerie SchultzNovember 05, 2024
Much ink has been spilled over this presidential election—but not nearly as much as was used in a long history of presidential memoirs and biographies.
James T. KeaneNovember 05, 2024
As I sit sore and tired, I cannot also help but think that the N.Y.C. Marathon for me is a thin space, a space where I can easily see God’s presence in the world.
Robert McCarthyNovember 04, 2024
Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples has been named as one of the prelates Pope Francis will make a cardinal on December 7th.