Brief biographies of 21 future Cardinals

By Vatican News

Here are brief biographies of the Church’s future cardinals.

Archbishop Robert Francis Prevost, 67, was born in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., on 14 September 1955. He entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) in 1977, in the province of Our Lady of Good Counsel in St. Louis, and made his solemn vows on 29 August 1981. He studied at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, graduating with a degree in Theology. In 1988 he was sent to the mission of Trujillo as director of the common formation project for Augustinian aspirants from the Vicariates of Chulucanas, Iquitos, and Apurímac. There he served as community prior (1988-1992), formation director (1988-1998), and teacher of the professed (1992-1998). In the Archdiocese of Trujillo, he was judicial vicar (1989-1998), and professor of Canon Law, Patristics, and Morals in the San Carlos e San Marcelo Major Seminary. In 1999 he was elected prior provincial of the “Mother of Good Counsel" Province. After two and a half years, the Ordinary General Chapter elected him prior general, a ministry the Order entrusted to him again at the 2007 Ordinary General Chapter. On 3 November 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo and on 7 November he was installed in the diocese. He was ordained Bishop of Chiclayo on 12 December 2014. On 15 April 2020, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Callao. And in 2023. Pope Francis appointed him a Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
 

Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti was born in Verona in 1955, Archbishop Gugerotti joined the Pius Society of Don Nicola Mazza and was ordained a priest in 1982. At the Ca' Foscari University in Venice he received a degree in Oriental Languages and Literature, as well as a licentiate in liturgy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant'Anselmo and a doctorate in Oriental Ecclesiastical Sciences at the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Archbishop Gugerotti worked at the Congregation for Oriental Churches, starting in 1985. In 1997 Saint Pope John Paul II appointed him undersecretary of the Congregation. He was appointed an archbishop in 2002 and became Apostolic Nuncio of various countries where various Eastern Churches are located: 2002 in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan; 2011 in Belarus; 2020 in Ukraine in 2015 and in 2020 in Great Britain. He has been Prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches since January 2023.

Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández was born on 18 July 1962 in Alcira Gigena, in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. He was ordained a priest on 15 August 1986 for the diocese of Villa de la Concepción del Río Cuarto, Argentina. He was awarded a licentiate in theology with biblical specialization from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and subsequently a doctorate in theology from the Faculty of Theology of Buenos Aires. From 1993 to 2000 he was parish priest of Santa Teresita in Río Cuarto, Córdoba. He was the founder and director of the Institute for Lay Formation and the Jesús Buen Pastor Formation Centre for Teachers in the same city. In his diocese he was also a seminary formator, director for ecumenism and director for catechesis. In 2007 he participated in the Fifth Conference of Latin American Bishops (Aparecida) as a priest representing Argentina and later as a member of the drafting group for the final document. From 2008 to 2009 he was dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and president of the Argentine Theological Society. From 2009 to 2018 he was rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. On 13 May 2013 he was appointed archbishop by Pope Francis. He participated, as a member, in the 2014 and 2015 Synods of Bishops on the family, in which he was also part of the drafting groups. In the 2017 Assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, he was elected president of the Episcopal Commission for Faith and Culture (Doctrinal Commission). In June 2018 he assumed the office of archbishop of La Plata. He has been a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture and Consultor of the Congregation for Catholic Education. He is currently a member of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. He has published more than 300 books and scientific articles, many of which have been translated into various languages. These works demonstrate an important biblical foundation and a constant commitment to the dialogue between theology and culture, the evangelizing mission, spirituality and social issues.
 

Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig was born in Unterems, Switzerland, on Feb. 3, 1947 and ordained to the priesthood on April 11, 1974. He received his doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University and was incardinated in the diocese of Sion, Switzerland. Pope John Paul II appointed him a member of the Holy See's diplomatic service in 1978, as secretary of the apostolic nunciature, serving in Uganda, South Korea, Mongolia and Bangladesh. As Apostolic Nuncio, he has served in Burundi (1996-2000), to Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Bahamas (2000-2004) and from 2001 also to Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname and Saint Kitts and Nevis; South Korea and Mongolia (2004-2008); to the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway, 2008-2012); to Argentina (2012-2017); to Italy and San Marino, the first non-Italian to hold the post (2017-).

Archbishop Christophe Pierre was born on January 30, 1946 in Rennes, France. He completed his primary education in Antisirabé, Madagascar, and his secondary schooling in Saint-Malo, France, and in Marrakech, Morocco. He attended the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Rennes (1963-1969) and the Catholic Institute of Paris (1969-1971). After performing Military Service, he was ordained a priest on April 5, 1970, in Saint-Malo, France and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Rennes. He was Parochial Vicar of the St. Peter and St. Paul Parish in Colombes, Diocese of Nanterre, France (1970-1973). He has a Master in Sacred Theology (Paris, 1971) and a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome (1973-1977). He completed his studies at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, in Rome (1973-1977), and started his service in the Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See on March 5, 1977. He was appointed first to the Pontifical Representation in New Zealand and the Islands of the Pacific Ocean (1977-1981). Subsequently he served in Mozambique (1981); in Zimbabwe (1982-1986); in Cuba (1986-1989); in Brazil (1989-1991); at the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland (1991-1995). He was elected Titular Archbishop of Gunela on July 12, 1995, and received the Episcopal Consecration on September 24, 1995, in Saint-Malo, France. Archbishop Christophe Pierre was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, on July 12, 1995, where he served until 1999. He has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda (1999-2007) and then, the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico (2007-2016). He was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio of the United States of America by His Holiness, Pope Francis on April 12, 2016.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa was born in Cologno al Serio (Bergamo) on 21 April 1965, son of Pietro and Maria Maddalena Tadini. He attended Secondary School at the Minor Seminary “Le Grazie” of Rimini and obtained his diploma in classical studies at the Archiepiscopal Seminary of Ferrara on June 1984. He received the Franciscan religious habit on September 5, 1984, in Ferrara (Santo Spirito) and spent the year of novitiate at the Franciscan Shrine of La Verna (Arezzo, Italy). He made his Temporary Profession in La Verna, on September 7, 1985, and his Solemn Profession on October 10, 1989, in the Church of St. Anthony in Bologna. On September 15, 1990, he was ordained priest in the cathedral church of Bologna, with the imposition of hands of Cardinal Giacomo Biffi. After spending one year in Rome, he was transferred to the Holy Land, in Jerusalem, in October 1990. From July 2, 1999, he formally entered in service to the Custody of the Holy Land. After his philosophical-theological studies, he obtained a licenciate in Biblical Theology at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum of Jerusalem. His Beatitude Pizzaballa is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
 

Archbishop Stephen Brislin, was Born in Welkom on 24 September 1956. He received his primary schooling at St Agnes’ Convent, Welkom and CBC, Welkom, followed by seminary studies -- Philosophy at St John Vianney, Pretoria and Theology at the Missionary Institute, London. He was ordained to the priesthood on 19 November 1983. Pope Benedict appointed him the Bishop of Kroonstad, South Africa, and he was ordained its bishop on 28 January 2007. He was installed as Archbishop of Cape Town on 7 February 2010, on the Solemnity of Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt, the patronal feast of the Archdiocese of Cape Town. From 2013 to 2019 he was the President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference.

Archbishop Ángel Sixto Rossi, S.J., was born on 11 August 1958 in Córdoba. In 1976 he was admitted to the novitiate of the then Argentine province of the Society of Jesus. After his studies in philosophy and theology in Ecuador, on 12 December 1986 he received priestly ordination and on 9 May 1994 he gave his solemn vows. He graduated in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has held the following offices: rector of the church of El Salvador (1990-92), founder of the Hogar San José reception centre and the Fundación Manos Abiertas (1992). From 1992-1995, he served as master of novices and superior of the community in Córdoba. He has published numerous texts and essays of a spiritual and pastoral nature and has offered the 30 days of Ignatian Spiritual Exercises for many years. Within the Argentine-Uruguayan Jesuit province he has served as provincial counsellor, coordinator of the itinerant missionary team, and spiritual assistant of the Fundación Manos Abiertas. On 6 November 2021, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Córdoba.

Archbishop Luis José Rueda Aparicio was born in San Gil, Santander, diocese of Socorro y San Gil, on 3 March 1962. He carried out his studies in philosophy in the major seminary of San Carlos of San Gil and in theology in the major seminary of Bucaramanga. He was ordained a priest on 23 November 1989. He obtained a licentiate in moral theology at the Alphonsianum Academy of Rome. He served as parish priest in various parishes, professor of the major seminary, deputy director of the diocesan secretariat for the pastoral care of charity, rector of the diocesan institute for rural development, and diocesan vicar for pastoral ministry. On 2 February 2012 he was appointed as bishop of Montelíbano and received episcopal ordination the following 14 April. On 19 May 2018, he was appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Popayán, being intalled on 7 July. On 25 April 2020, Pope Francis appointed him the metropolitan archbishop of Bogotá and on 11 June the same year, he was installed. From 13 May 2021 to 25 June 2022, he was the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocesi di Soacha (Cundinamarca). On 6 July 2021, he was elected President of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia for a three-year term.

Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś was born on 9 February 1964 in Krakow. In 1982–1988, he studied at the Faculty of Theology and the Faculty of History of the Church of the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Krakow, as well as at the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Krakow. He was ordained a priest on 22 May 1988 in the Cathedral of Wawel. From 1988 to 1989, Ryś worked as a vicar in the parish of Saints Margaret and Catherine in Kęty. From 2004 to 2007, he was the director of the Archives of the Metropolitan Chapter in Krakow. From 2007 to 2011, he was the rector of the Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Krakow. In the years 2010 and 2011, he also served as chairman of the Conference of Rectors of the Theological Seminary in Poland. On 16 July 2011, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Kraków and was ordained on 28 September. On 14 September 2017 Pope Francis appointed him archbishop of Łódź. He was installed on 4 November 2017.

Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla was born in Ido (Eastern Equatoria, Sudan,) on 10 January 1964. He received priestly ordination on 21 April 1991 for the diocese of Torit. After carrying out pastoral work in Khartoum, he pursued a doctorate at the Pontifical Urban University from 1993 to 1997, obtaining a doctorate in dogmatic theology. The title of his thesis was Toward Religious Dialogue and Reconciliation in Sudan. He then taught at the seminary of Juba, South Sudan , eventually becoming its rector. Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Torit on 3 January 2019, a diocese which had remained vacant for 5 years after the death of Bishop Mutek in 2013. On 12 December 2019, Pope Francis appointed him archbishop of Juba and he was installed on 22 March 2020. He remained Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Torit. He was Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Wau from 21 September 2020 to 24 January 2021.

Archbishop José Cobo Cano was born in Sabiote, diocese of Jaén, on 20 September 1965. After obtaining a licentiate in civil law, he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Universidad Eclesiástica San Dámaso (1992). He was ordained a priest on 23 April 1994 for the archdiocese of Madrid. Following ordination, he served as chaplain of Hermandades del Trabajo (1994-2000) and parish vicar of San Leopoldo (1995-2000). He studied social morality at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid (1996), and went on to serve as parish priest of San Alfonso María de Ligorio (2000-2015), member of the Presbyteral Council (2000-2012) and episcopal vicar of the Vicariate II (2015-2018). He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Madrid on 29 December 2017, and consecrated on 17 February 2018. Within the Spanish Episcopal Conference, he was a member of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care (2018-2020) and, since 2020, has been a member of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care and Human Promotion. On 12 June 2023, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Madrid, and he was installed on 8 July.

Archbishop Protase Rugambwa was born on 31 May 1960 in Bunena, Tanzania, and was ordained a priest by Saint John Paul II on 2 September 1990 for the diocese of Rulenge-Ngara. In 1998 he was awarded a doctorate in pastoral theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He was Vicar General of the diocese of Rulenge-Ngara from 2000 to 2002. From 2002 to 2008 he served as an official of the former Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. On 18 January 2008 he was appointed bishop of the diocese of Kigoma, Tanzania. Later, on 26 June 2012, he was appointed adjunct secretary of the same Dicastery and president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, with the personal title of archbishop. On 9 November 2017 he was appointed secretary of the same Congregation. On 13 April 2023, Pope Francis appointed him Coadjutor Archbishop of Tabora (Tanzania).

Bishop Sebastian Francis was born on 11 November 1951, in Johor Bahru. After completing his studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Major Seminary in Penang, he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Malacca-Johor on July 28, 1977. After several assignments, he studied in Rome, receiing a licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the Angelicum. After several other pastoral assignments,  he received a Law degree in 1991 and subsequently went on to Maryknoll School of Theology in New York. On July 7, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Bishop of Penang, and he was ordained on 20 August with 10,000 Catholics in attendance. Since 1 January 2017, he has been president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan, S.J., of Hong Kong, was born on 7 August 1959 in Hong Kong. After the period of pre-university studies, he was awarded a bachelor’s degree and a masters’s degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota, in the United States of America. He then entered the Society of Jesus on 27 September 1984. From 1984 to 1986 he completed the noviciate and was subsequently awarded a licentiate in philosophy in Ireland, before continuing his studies in theology from 1988 to 1993 in Hong Kong, where on 16 July 1994 he was ordained a priest. He obtained a master’s degree in organisational development from the Loyola University of Chicago (1993-1995) and was awarded a doctorate in human development and psychology (Ed. D) from the University of Harvard in Boston (2000-2006). He professed his final religious vows on 17 April 2007. From that time on, he carried out various services in the educational field and as a formator within the Jesuit community. From 2012 to 2014 he served as a member of the Presbyteral Council of the diocese of Hong Kong, from 2013 to 2017 provincial consultor, and since 2017, member of the diocesan Education Council. From 1 January 2018-2021, he served as provincial of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus, and since 2020, deputy secretary of the Association of Religious Superiors of Male Institutes of Hong Kong. On 17 May 2021, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of the diocese of Hong Kong after the See had remained vacant since 3 January 2019 when Bishop Michael Yeung died after less than 2 years as its bishop. He was consecrated bishop on 4 December 2021.

Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, was born on 21 August 1960 in Gozón-Luanco in Astxuria, Spain, and is Rector Major of the Salesians. He made his first profession on 3 September 1978, perpetual vows on 17 June 1984 at Santiago de Compostela, and was ordained priest on 4 July 1987 in León. Originally from the Province of León, he gained his degree in Pastoral Theology and licentiate in Philosophy and Theology. He was Delegate for Youth Ministry, Rector of the school at Ourense, member of the Council and Vice-Provincial and, from 2000 al 2006, Provincial. After being part of the technical commission that prepared for the 26th General Chapter, in 2009 he was appointed Superior of the South Argentine Province with headquarters in Buenos Aires. He had the opportunity in this role to get to know and personally collaborate with the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, today Pope Francis. On 23 December 2013 he was appointed Superior of the new Province of Mediterranean Spain dedicated to "Mary Help of Christians", but before taking up this new role, on 25 March 2014, he was elected by the 27th General Chapter as Rector Major of the Salesian Congregation and the 10th Successor of Don Bosco.  On 11 March 2020 he was reconfirmed by CG28 as Rector Major for a second term 2020-2026.

Bishop François-Xavier Bustillo, Bishop of Ajaccio since 2021, a Conventual Franciscan, was born on 23 November 1968 in Pamplona, Spain. He entered the Minor Seminary of Baztán and began his postulancy in the Order of Conventual Franciscans in Padua, Italy, where he completed his philosophical and theological studies. He made his solemn profession on 20 September 1992, two years later he was a priest. In the same year he founded, with some brothers, the convent of St Bonaventure in Narbonne (France). From 2018 until his appointment as bishop, he has been custodian of the Saint-Maximilien Kolbe convent in Lourdes, episcopal delegate for the sanctuary of Lourdes and for the protection of minors, and since 2020 a member of the episcopal council of the Diocese of Tarbes et Lourdes. Bustillo is the author of the book published by the Vatican Publishing House 'Witnesses not officials', which the Pope gave to priests at the Chrism Mass in 2022 and also on other occasions, mainly to priests.
 

Bishop Américo Manuel Alves Aguiar was born on 12 December 1973 in Leça do Balio, Matosinhos, has been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon since 2019. In 1995, he entered the Major Seminary of Porto. He completed his academic studies at the Catholic Universitỳ first in Theology and then a Master in Communication Sciences. In 2001, he was ordained priest and became, in 2016, the Director of the National Secretariat of Social Communication. He was ordained titular Bishop of Dagno on 31 March 2019, in the Church of Trindade, in Porto. He is President of the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation and Director of the Communication Department of the Patriarchate of Lisbon.

Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, Apostolic Nuncio, for Pope Francis is the greatest hermeneutic of the Second Vatican Council. Born in Vicenza on 28 August 1940, he attended schools at the Patronage Leone XIII in Vicenza, then entered the seminary and was ordained a priest at Vicenza Cathedral on 28 June 1964. On 31 August 1985, he was appointed titular archbishop of Astigi with the office of apostolic nuncio to Madagascar and Mauritius. On 7 December 1990, he was transferred as Apostolic Nuncio to Tanzania, and on 18 May 1994, as Apostolic Nuncio to Belarus. On 6 November 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. On 25 August 2010, upon reaching the age of 70, he retired from his post to devote himself to studying, in particular the hermeneutics of the Second Vatican Council. In addition to Italian, he speaks French, English and Spanish.

Archbishop Diego Rafael Padrón Sánchez is currently parish priest of La Inmaculada de Camoruco, in the Archdiocese of Valencia in Venezuela. Born in Montalbán, on 17 May 1939, he holds a degree in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and a diploma in Oriental Biblical Sciences from the Franciscanum Institute in Jerusalem-Israel. He is a professor of Spanish, literature and Latin, a graduate of the Professional Institute of Teaching at the Pedagogical Institute in Caracas. Ordained a priest on 4 August 1963, he was parish priest in several parishes in Valencia. In 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Caracas and Titular Bishop of Gisipa, in 1994 he was Bishop of the Diocese of Maturín and in 2002 Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cumaná. He was President of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference for two consecutive periods.
 

Father Luis Pascual Dri is 96 years old and continues to serve the Lord every day by administering the sacrament of reconciliation. He was born in Federación, Entre Ríos Province, Argentina, on 17 April 1927, into a family where all but one of the children consecrated themselves to God in the religious life. From a very young age he worked in the fields, tending animals and also planting corn and alfalfa. He entered the Capuchin seminary in January 1938 at the age of 11, and took the Capuchin habit on 21 February 1945. On 29 March 1952, he was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Montevideo.  Director of the San Francisco de Carrasco Minor Seminary in 1953, in 1961, he specialised in Europe as formator of novices. In 1962 he began his mission as educator at the Colegio y Liceo Secco Illa de Uruguay, until 1974. A parish priest in several churches, at the beginning of 2000, he was transferred to the Shrine Ntra. Sra. De Pompeya, Buenos Aires, where he spent three years, then was appointed parish priest in Mar del Plata. In 2007, he returned again to the Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Pompeya.