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| Cardinal Odilo Scherer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Odilo Pedro Scherer |
| Birth date | 21 September 1949 |
| Birth place | Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| Occupation | Cardinal, Archbishop |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
Cardinal Odilo Scherer is a Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as Archbishop of São Paulo since 2007 and was created cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. He is notable for leadership in Latin American episcopal conferences, involvement with the Roman Curia, and participation in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. Scherer has engaged with issues concerning Liberation theology, Catholic social teaching, and relations between the Holy See and states in Latin America.
Odilo Pedro Scherer was born in Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, into a family of German Brazilian heritage during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. He completed primary formation influenced by local parishes and seminaries connected to the Society of Saint Paul and attended minor seminary formation alongside candidates to dioceses such as Porto Alegre and Curitiba. He studied philosophy and theology at the Seminary of São José and the Pauline Institute before completing advanced studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Angelicum, where he engaged with scholars associated with Thomism and the Second Vatican Council. His formation exposed him to debates involving figures like Joseph Ratzinger and intellectual currents in 20th-century Catholic theology.
Ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of São Paulo in 1973, Scherer served in parish ministry in neighborhoods connected to institutions such as Sé Cathedral and social programs allied with Caritas Internationalis and local Catholic Charities. He held professorships at the Catholic University of São Paulo and seminaries affiliated with the São Paulo provincial curia, teaching courses in dogmatic theology, ecclesiology, and moral theology. Scherer published articles in journals associated with the Brazilian Episcopal Conference and participated in conferences alongside theologians from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Colombia. His academic work connected him to networks involving the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Congregation for Catholic Education.
Appointed auxiliary bishop of São Paulo by Pope John Paul II in the 1990s, he was consecrated in ceremonies with prelates from the Catholic hierarchy of Brazil, including cardinals aligned with the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB). Elevated to coadjutor and then Archbishop of São Paulo in 2007, he succeeded Cardinal Cláudio Hummes amid pastoral challenges in a metropolis linked to institutions like University of São Paulo, Ibirapuera Park, and municipal authorities. His tenure interfaces with civic leaders from São Paulo state, diplomatic representatives from the Holy See to Brazil, and ecclesial movements such as Charismatic Renewal and Catholic lay movements including Focolare and Opus Dei-affiliated communities.
Created cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in the 2007 consistory, Scherer received the title of Cardinal-Priest of a Roman church and served as a cardinal elector in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis. In the Roman Curia he has been a member of congregations and councils, interacting with the Congregation for Bishops, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. His curial roles have involved collaboration with curial officials such as prefects from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and engagement with diplomatic initiatives between the Holy See and governments in Latin America and beyond.
Scherer’s theological orientation reflects engagements with Ratzingerian hermeneutics, Thomistic resources, and critical encounters with Liberation theology as debated by figures like Gustavo Gutiérrez and Leonardo Boff. On social matters he has invoked principles from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church and papal teachings of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis while addressing issues such as poverty, violence, and religious freedom. Scherer has taken positions on liturgical matters in conversation with proponents of liturgical reform and traditionalist Catholicism, and has weighed in on bioethical questions discussed in forums involving the Pontifical Academy for Life and national bioethics commissions.
As Archbishop of São Paulo he promoted pastoral plans linking the archdiocese to Catholic social services, diocesan synods, and initiatives with the Brazilian Episcopal Conference to coordinate responses to humanitarian crises, evangelization efforts, and catechetical programs tied to World Youth Day and regional events. Scherer supported clergy formation, seminary reform cooperating with the Congregation for Catholic Education, and partnerships with Caritas agencies and municipal health and education authorities. His leadership included dialogues with Protestant leaders from Pentecostalism and representatives of the Jewish community in São Paulo and the Muslim community in Brazil to foster ecumenical and interreligious cooperation.
Scherer has received honors from ecclesiastical institutions such as episcopal associations and academic awards from universities like the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo and has authored pastoral letters, homiletic collections, and theological essays circulated through diocesan archives and Catholic publishing houses. His legacy is reflected in administrative reforms in the Archdiocese of São Paulo, participation in global synods including the Synod of Bishops assemblies, and mentorship of clergy and lay leaders who serve in dioceses across Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and other parts of South America. Observers connect his tenure to broader developments involving Latin American Catholicism and the ongoing reception of papal teachings from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Category:Brazilian cardinals Category:1949 births Category:Living people