Speakers 2008
His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali
Born in Los Angeles, California, he was ordained for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in April 1961. Fr. Rigali obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1964. From 1966 to 1987, he served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Madagascar and at the Vatican Secretariat of State. He was named Titular Archbishop of Bolsena and ordained to the episcopacy by Pope John Paul II in 1985. In 1989 Archbishop Rigali was named Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and in 1990 the Secretary of the College of Cardinals. Pope John Paul II appointed him as Archbishop of St. Louis in Missouri in 1994 and as Archbishop of Philadelphia in 2003. He was formally created a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003.
His Eminence will complete his third three-year term as Serra's Episcopal Adviser at this year's international convention.
His Eminence Odilo Cardinal Scherer
Born in Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, he was ordained for the Diocese of Toledo, Parana in December 1976. Before doing pastoral work in Toledo from 1985 to 1988, he taught philosophy and theology at the Ciencas Humanas Arnaldo Busatto and the Instituto Teologico Paulo VI respectively. He obtained his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1991. From 1994 to 2001, he was an official of the Congregation for Bishops. In November 2001, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sao Paulo. He was made Secretary General of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference in 2003.
Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Scherer as Archbishop of Sao Paulo in March 2007. On 24 November 2007, Archbishop Scherer was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in the Public Consistory at St. Peter's Basilica.
Most Rev. Emilio Carlos Berlié Belaunzarán
Archbishop Berlié is a native of the city of Aguascalientes, México. He was ordained in 1966, first appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Aguascalientes. In 1983 he was appointed as the bishop of the Diocese of Tijuana, Baja California. There he founded a seminary, and helped a very good friend, Mother Theresa, build 4 or 5 homes. In 1995, he was sent to Mérida, Yucatán where he is now ministering.
Archbishop Berlié has an elegant, pleasant and charismatic personality, as well as an excellent sense of humor. As a speaker he stays away from solemnity, his messages are brief and he loves to make people laugh. He has been the Episcopal Adviser of Serra México for many years.