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Pope Francis and Cardinal Luis Ladaria in this undated photo (Vatican Media)

Pope Francis met with Cardinal Luis Ladaria yesterday to thank him for his six years as head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Source: CNA.

In a brief statement, the Vatican said the Pope also greeted other officials of the dicastery after his meeting with the 79-year-old Cardinal Ladaria.

On July 1, Pope Francis appointed Argentine Cardinal-designate Víctor Manuel Fernández as Cardinal Ladaria’s successor as doctrine chief.

Cardinal-designate Fernández, 61, will take up the post on September 11.

Cardinal Ladaria was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, then called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on July 1, 2017. He succeeded the German Cardinal Gerhard Müller.

The Spanish theologian had served as secretary of the Vatican’s doctrine office since 2008.

A member of the Jesuits since 1966, Cardinal Ladaria received a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1975. 

He went on to become a professor of dogmatic theology at the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid and later at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Cardinal Ladaria was also vice rector of the Gregorian from 1986-1994.

As head of the DDF, Cardinal Ladaria was also president of the International Theological Commission and the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Those roles will now be filled by Cardinal-designate Fernández, who is a prolific writer and close collaborator of Pope Francis.

FULL STORY

Pope Francis thanks Cardinal Ladaria for years heading Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith (By Hannah Brockhaus, CNA)