From Valencia to close collaborator of the Pope

by Gianni Cardinale

Cañizares Llovera on the day of his ordination, 21 June 1970

Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera was born in Utiel, in the archdiocese of Valencia, on 15 October 1945. He attended the diocesan seminary of Valencia (1961-1964) and the Pontifical University of Salamanca (1964-1968), where he obtained his licentiate in theology. Ordained priest in 1970, he received the title of Doctor of Theology with a specialization in Catechesis at the Pontifical University of Salamanca in 1971. From 1971 to 1992 he worked with the National Secretariat for Catechesis (within the Episcopal Commission for Education and Catechesis). From 1985 to 1992 he was Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith.
In 1992 John Paul II named him Bishop of Avila. In 1996 he was appointed Archbishop of Granada and in 2002 Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain. In his first consistory of 24 March 2006, Benedict XVI created him cardinal.
In the Spanish Episcopal Conference he has been, among other things, a member of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Conference (1999-2008) and Vice President from 2005 to 2008.
He was the founder and first Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University “Santa Teresa de Jesús” of Avila (1994-1997).
Since November 1995 he has been a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and collaborated in the writing of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Spanish version.
On 9 December 2008 Benedict XVI named him Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Cardinal Cañizares Llovera is also a member of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”.