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Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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              The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                        Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

BIOGRAPHY OF POPE BENEDICT XVI

VATICAN CITY, APR 19, 2005 (VIS) - Following is the official biography of the
newly elected Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger:

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and of the
International Theological Commission, Dean of the College of Cardinals, was
born on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Germany. He was ordained a priest on
June 29, 1951.

His father, a police officer, came from a traditional family of farmers from
Lower Bavaria. He spent his adolescent years in Traunstein, and was called into
the auxiliary anti-aircraft service in the last months of World War II. From
1946 to 1951, the year in which he was ordained a priest and began to teach, he
studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and at the higher
school in Freising. In 1953 he obtained a doctorate in theology with a thesis
entitled: "The People and House of God in St. Augustine's doctrine of the
Church." Four years later, he qualified as a university teacher. He then taught
dogma and fundamental theology at the higher school of philosophy and theology
of Freising, in Bonn from 1959 to 1969, in Munster from 1963 to 1966, and in
Tubinga from 1966 to 1969. From 1969, he was professor of dogmatic theology and
of the history of dogma at the University of Regensburg and vice president of
the same university.

He was already well known in 1962 when, at Vatican Council II at the age of 35,
he became a consultor to Cardinal Joseph Frings, archbishop of Cologne. Among
his numerous publications, a particular post belongs to the "Introduction to
Christianity," a collection of university lessons on the profession of
apostolic faith, published in 1968; and to "Dogma and Revelation" an anthology
of essays, sermons and reflections dedicated to the pastoral ministry,
published in 1973.

In March 1977, Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of Munich and Freising and on
May 28, 1977 he was consecrated - the first diocesan priest after 80 years to
take over the pastoral ministry of this large Bavarian diocese.

Created and proclaimed cardinal by Paul VI in the consistory of June 27, 1977,
he assumed the titles of the suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni (April 5,
1993) and of the suburbicarian Church of Ostia (November 30, 2002). On November
25, 1981 he was nominated by John Paul II as prefect of the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith; and as president of the Biblical

Commission and of the Pontifical International Theological Commission.

He was relator of the 5th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1980).

He was president delegate to the 6th Synodal Assembly (1983).

Elected vice dean of the College of Cardinals November 6, 1998, the Holy Father
approved his election, by the order of cardinal bishops, as dean of the College
of Cardinals on November 30, 2002.

As President of the Commission for the Preparation of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, after 6 years of work (1986-92) he presented the New Catechism
to the Holy Father.

He received an honoris causa degree in jurisprudence from the Free University
of Maria Santissima Assunta on November 10. 1999. He became an honorary member
of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, November 13, 2000.

Curial Membership:

- Secretariat of State (second section). - Oriental Churches, Divine Worship
and Discipline of the Sacraments, Bishops, Evangelization of Peoples, Catholic
Education (congregations). - Christian Unity (council). - Latin America,
Ecclesia Dei (commissions).
OP/BIO:BENEDICT XVI/...VIS 050419 (590)

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