His Eminence

Giuseppe Versaldi
Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Catholic Education
Appointed31 March 2015
Term ended5 June 2022
PredecessorZenon Grocholewski
Other post(s)Cardinal priest of Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio
Orders
Ordination29 June 1967
by Albino Mensa
Consecration26 May 2007
by Enrico Masseroni
Created cardinal18 February 2012
by Benedict XVI
Rank
  • Cardinal deacon (2012–22)
  • Cardinal priest (2022–present)
Personal details
Born
Giuseppe Versaldi

(1943-07-30) 30 July 1943
Villarboit, Italy
NationalityItalian
DenominationRoman Catholic
Previous post(s)
Alma materPontifical Gregorian University
Roman Rota
MottoChristi Minister
Coat of armsGiuseppe Versaldi's coat of arms
Styles of
Giuseppe Versaldi
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

Giuseppe Versaldi (born 30 July 1943) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was the prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education from 2015 until that body was merged into the new Dicastery for Culture and Education in 2022. He served as president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 2011 to 2015. Before that he was Bishop of Alessandria. Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the rank of cardinal on 18 February 2012.

Biography

Versaldi was born in 1943 in Villarboit in the Province of Vercelli, Region of Piedmont, and was ordained a priest on 29 June 1967. In 1972 he was sent to Rome to study psychology and then canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he earned a degree in psychology and a doctorate in canon law. Versaldi returned to Vercelli in 1976, where he was given the task of starting the diocesan Family Counseling centre. At the same time he attended courses at the Roman Rota. He received his law degree in 1980.

In 1977 he was made pastor of the Parish of Larizza. Beginning in 1980 he taught canon law and psychology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1985 he was appointed by the Holy See as tribunal clerk of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, as a voting member in 1990,[1] and a member of the Supreme Council of the Apostolic Signatura in 2007.[2] On 25 March 1994 he was appointed Vicar General of Vercelli by Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone.

Pope Benedict XVI named him Bishop of Alessandria on 4 April 2007.[3] He was consecrated on 26 May 2007 by Enrico Masseroni, Archbishop of Vercelli, and Bishops Fernando Charrier and Natalino Pescarolo as co-consecrators. He was installed on 10 June 2007.

After four years as Bishop of Alessandria, on 21 September 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named Versaldi President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See and gave him the rank of archbishop.[4]

On 18 February 2012 he was created Cardinal-Deacon of Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio by Benedict XVI.[5] On 21 April 2012, Versaldi was appointed a member of the Apostolic Signatura, the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.[6]

Versaldi was one of the 117 cardinal electors who took part in the 2013 conclave.[7] On 31 March 2015 Pope Francis appointed him Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, replacing Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski.[8]

On 4 October 2017 he was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. On 14 April 2018 he was named a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.[9]

On 13 February 2019, Versaldi signed an agreement with the Ministry of Education, University and Research Marco Bussetti for the application of the Lisbon Recognition Convention for the mutual recognition of the academic qualifications released by the Italian public universities and by the Holy See's pontifical institutes. The agreement widened the variety of academic titles recognized for the teaching of Roman Catholic religion in the Italian public primary and secondary schools.[10][11]

On 4 March 2022, he was elevated to the rank of cardinal priest.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "International Theological Symposium on March 10, 2016 with His Eminence Giuseppe Cardinal Versaldi, D.D." Loyola School of Theology. Ateneo de Manila University. 10 March 2021. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Vatican's Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, to Attend NCEA 2018 Convention & Expo". 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 04.04.2007" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 April 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 21.09.2011" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali" [Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals]. The Holy See (in Italian). Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 21.04.2012" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "List of Cardinal Electors". Zenit. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  8. ↑ Tornielli, Andrea (31 March 2015). "Versaldi is the new "minister" of Catholic education". Vatican Insider. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 14.04.2018" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "Vatican – Agreement between Holy See and Italy on recognition of academic qualifications". Vatican City. 26 February 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "Educación: La Santa Sede firma un acuerdo con el gobierno de Italia". Zenit (in Spanish). 15 February 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "Ordinary Public Consistory for the vote on some Causes for Canonization" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
Sources
  • Martin Bräuer, Handbuch der Kardinäle: 1846-2012 (Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2014).
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