Appointment of Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

(July 12, 2008) The Holy Father has named Reverend Father Luis Ladaria Francisco Ferrer, SJ, and professor of dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and Secretary General of the International Theological Commission, Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith giving it the See of Tibica holder, with dignity as Archbishop. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia, as it oversees Catholic doctrine. The Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith is the modern name for what used to be the Holy Office of the Inquisition. The duty proper to the Congregation is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on the faith and morals throughout the Catholic world: for this reason everything which in any way touches such matter falls within its competence. Fr Ladaria Ferrer, the new secretary was born in 1944 at Manacor, Spain. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1966 and did his priestly studies at Madrid and Frankfurt. He was ordained priest in 1973 and completed his doctorate in theology in 1975 at the Gregorian University. He has been teaching theology at Madrid from 1975 to 1984 and at Gregorian University since 1984. He was the Vice Rector, Gregorian, Member of the International Theological Commission, Consulter of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and since 2004 Secretary General of the International Theological Commission.