William Levada
Joseph Ratzinger | |
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Successor | Gerhard Ludwig Müller |
Other post(s) |
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Orders | |
Ordination | December 20, 1961 by Martin John O'Connor |
Consecration | May 12, 1983 by Timothy Manning |
Created cardinal | March 24, 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI |
Rank |
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Personal details | |
Born | Long Beach, California, United States | June 15, 1936
Died | September 26, 2019 Rome, Italy | (aged 83)
Nationality | American |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Parents |
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Previous post(s) |
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Motto | Fratres in unum ('Brothers in unity', Psalm 133:1) |
Styles of William Joseph Levada | |
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His Eminence | |
Spoken style | Your Eminence |
Informal style | Cardinal |
See | San Francisco (emeritus) |
Ordination history of William Levada | ||||||||||||
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William Joseph Levada (June 15, 1936 – September 26, 2019) was an American
Early life and clerical formation
William Joseph Levada was born in Long Beach, California, to Joseph and Lorraine (née Nunez) Levada, both natives of Concord, California.[1] His older sister, Dolores, died on May 21, 2007.[2]
His great-grandparents came from Portugal[3] and Ireland, and emigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1860s. He grew up in Long Beach and Houston, Texas, attended St. Anthony High School Long Beach and then St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.[1][4] At St. Anthony High School, his classmate was George Hugh Niederauer, later his successor as archbishop of San Francisco.[5]
From 1958 to 1961, Levada studied at the
Priestly ministry
From 1961 until around 1966, Levada worked in parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, including St. Louis of France in La Puente and St. Monica in Santa Monica. He also taught high school and worked in college campus ministry.[2]
After this, he returned to Rome and continued his studies at the North American College. He received a doctorate in sacred theology
From 1976 to 1982, Levada was an official of the
In 1982, Cardinal Timothy Manning, Archbishop of Los Angeles, named Levada as the executive director of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops which has its offices in Sacramento.[2]
Episcopal ministry
Auxiliary in Los Angeles
Levada was appointed an
Portland
On July 1, 1986, Levada became the
San Francisco
On August 17, 1995, Levada was appointed
When appointed archbishop of San Francisco in 1995, Levada was asked whether he expected to be created a cardinal at a news conference. "There is only one cardinal in California," he said at a time when Los Angeles, the largest diocese in the country, was still considered a cardinalatial see. "He is in Los Angeles. Being a cardinal is the consolation prize for not being the archbishop of San Francisco."[8]
In November 2000, Levada was appointed one of the members of the
Also in 2000, Levada became the bishop co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue in the United States. In November 2003, Levada was appointed as chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Doctrine. This was a three-year term, but he resigned in 2005 due to his new duties in Rome and was replaced by Arthur J. Serratelli, Bishop of Paterson.[2]
On September 18, 1998, he was principal consecrator at the episcopal ordination of Monsignor
As Archbishop of San Francisco, Levada also served as grand prior of the Northwest Lieutenancy (USA) of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and as conventual chaplain for the Western Association (USA) of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.[2]
In 2013, Levada was a
Involvement in U.S. clerical sexual abuse and coverup
Some have criticized how Levada dealt with priests who had committed
In 1985, as a contact of Boston's Cardinal Law about the issue, Levada was given a report by a three-man panel headed by Father Tom Doyle about medical, legal, and moral issues posed by abusive clerics in an attempt to present the report to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at their June 1985 meeting. A few days later Father Doyle was informed by Levada that their report would not be heard by the bishops. Weeks later, Doyle was demoted from his post in Vatican embassy.[13]
In a 2008 interview Levada said: "I personally do not accept that there has been a broad base of bishops guilty of aiding and abetting
As archbishop in Portland, Levada removed Father Joseph Baccellieri, a parish priest accused of child molestation, in 1992 but did not refer the matter to the police. In 1993, he learned of allegations that the priest had abused not one but three male victims. Levada authorized secret payments to the victims after they threatened to make the allegations public in a lawsuit.[15] Levada allowed Baccellieri to return to duty in 1994 after he had undergone therapy and with the condition that he couldn't be around children and couldn't counsel adults or children. Levada did not inform parishioners or law enforcement about the allegations. Baccellieri went on to serve as a pastor or associate pastor in four Portland-area parishes between 1994 and 2001, when he went on leave to study canon law.[15]
After spending $53 million to settle more than 100 claims of priestly sex abuse, Portland in 2004 became the first U.S. Roman Catholic archdiocese to declare bankruptcy.[15]
In February 2013, Levada told the media that Cardinal Roger Mahony should be allowed to help select the next pope, even though Mahony had obstructed the investigation of child abusers while he headed the church in Los Angeles in the 1980s.[16]
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
On May 13, 2005,
On March 24, 2006, Benedict XVI elevated Levada to the
In addition to his position as prefect of the CDF, Cardinal Levada was ex officio the president of the
Pope Benedict accepted his resignation as prefect on July 2, 2012. He was succeeded that same day by Gerhard Ludwig Müller.[22]
Head of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei
Cardinal Levada, who was already a member of the
On May 13, 2011, the instruction
Reception of traditional Anglicans
On October 20, 2009, Cardinal Levada and Archbishop
The press release envisaged that married Anglican clergy who join the Catholic Church will be ordained to the priesthood, but excluded ordination to the episcopate: "Historical and ecumenical reasons preclude the ordination of married men as bishops in both the Catholic and
On October 31, 2009, Cardinal Levada responded to speculation that the rule whereby in some Eastern Catholic Churches ordination to the diaconate and priesthood is open to married men as well as to celibates will apply also to the personal ordinariates for former Anglicans. He made it clear that the canonical discipline of the Western Catholic Church applies to these ordinariates. Objective criteria for circumstances in which a dispensation from celibacy may be requested will be worked out jointly by the personal ordinariate and the episcopal conference.[28]
Views
Cardinal Levada's views generally reflected the conservative wing of the Catholic Church.
Opposition to abortion
In March 1995, Pope John Paul II said that the Church's teachings against abortion and euthanasia were specific moral norms which the Church's ordinary and universal Magisterium had protected with infallibility. Two months later, Levada publicly reiterated this and singled out Catholic politicians who legislated to allow abortion: "The individual politician, like any Catholic, who is at odds with the teaching of the Church about the principle involved, i.e., that abortion constitutes the killing of innocent human life and is always gravely immoral has an obligation to reflect more deeply on the issue, in the hope of allowing the persuasive character of this infallibly taught teaching to become part of his belief and value system."[29] In 2004 he wrote: "A Catholic, to be in full communion with the faith of the Church, must accept this teaching about the evil of abortion and euthanasia. This reflects the Church's official teaching on the matter."[30]
Opposition to LGBT rights
In 1997, the City of San Francisco passed a law that all companies must provide the same benefits for domestic partners as for their spouses in attempt to extend rights to gay couples and common law heterosexual relationships. Levada objected that this violated Catholic teaching on the unique status of marriage, and circumvented the provisions by stating that unmarried employees of the archdiocese could designate any person sharing the same address as their beneficiary – which meant complying with the statute while in Levada's view avoiding a privileged status for unmarried domestic partnerships.[31]
Levada led a march of approximately 1,000 people through the streets of
In 2006, Levada stated that the Archdiocese of San Francisco should more carefully avoid allowing gay couples to adopt children locally. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors reacted with a unanimous resolution highlighting the discriminatory approach, stating that Levada was "a decidedly unqualified representative of his former home city, and of the people of San Francisco and the values they hold dear”.[33]
Opposition to gender-inclusive language
Levada was one of six bishops given responsibility in 1987 for editing the text of an updated version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He opposed the draft of an English translation made available in 1993, objecting to its preference for gender-inclusive language. Levada's views prevailed and the version published in 1994 maintained the traditional gendered expressions of earlier catechisms.[34] Levada also authored the glossary for the second edition of the catechism.[citation needed]
Dissident theologians
On Catholics who dissent from Catholic teachings Levada wrote that "Catholic theology does not recognize the right to dissent, if by that we mean adopting conclusions which are contrary to the clear teachings of the authoritative, infallible magisterium and which are presented to the public in such a way as to constitute equivalently an alternative personal magisterium".[35]
Norms of moral law
In his doctoral dissertation of 1970 in which Levada treated the question of the infallibility of specific moral norms of the natural law, he wrote:
The human process of formulating moral norms is marked by an essential dependence upon the data of human experience. ...The variabilities which marked the human process of its discovery and formulation made such particular applications inherently unsuited to be considered for infallible definition. ...For such formulations must remain essentially open to modification and reformulation based upon moral values as they are perceived in relation to the data and the experience which mark man's understanding of himself. ...Even though there is nothing to prevent a council or a pope from extending [infallibility] to questions of the natural moral law from the point of view of their authority to do so, nevertheless the "prudential" certitude which characterizes the non-scriptural norms of the natural law argues against such an extension. ...The Church has never in fact made an infallible declaration about a particular norm of the natural moral law.[36]
Liturgical music
While serving as Archbishop of Portland (Oregon) from 1986 to 1995, he was, ex officio, the chair of the board of directors for OCP (formerly known as Oregon Catholic Press).[37]
Interfaith dialogue
Levada spoke in favor of interfaith dialogue.
According to rabbi David Rosen, Levada made it clear that there was intrinsic value in conducting interfaith dialogue with Jews even without any ulterior motives of proselytizing. He also made a clear distinction between "witnessing," or sharing the New Testament, and proselytizing, which he thought wrong.[38]
In a 2002 address to the University of San Francisco, Levada said: "If both Islam and Christianity view themselves as universal and missionary, it does not mean an impasse but an opportunity to search further into the mystery of that faith to see how it resonates and relates to the other's faith."[39]
Tridentine Mass
In 1999, some
Retirement and death
Levada retired in July 2012.
On August 19, 2015, Levada was detained by police in
Levada died on September 26, 2019, in Rome.[34][46]
References
- ^ a b "William J. Levada", San Francisco Chronicle, May 14, 2005, retrieved March 30, 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Cardinal William J. Levada Biography". Archdiocese of San Francisco. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Distinguished Americans & Canadians of Portuguese Descent". Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2008.
- ^ "Archbishop William Joseph Levada, new head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith". Catholic News Agency. May 13, 2005. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- ^ "Archbishop George H. Neiderauer". Archdiocese of San Francisco. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Archbishop William Joseph Levada". Archdiocese of Portland. Archived from the original on July 14, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- ^ Levada, William J. (1971). Infallible Church magisterium and the natural moral law. Pontificia Università Gregoriana.
- ^ "Remembering Cardinal William Levada (1936-2019)". National Catholic Register. September 26, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ "On Eve Of Conclave, SF Cardinal Levada Outspoken On New Pope Pick". KCBS. Associated Press. March 11, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ Rocco Palmo; Sean Collins Walsh (March 13, 2013). "Cardinal Rigali helping to lead the Yankees". Daily News. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ "San Francisco | Modern Luxury". Sanfranmag.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "Vatican's Top American Has Mixed Record on Abuse". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II" by Jason Berry, Gerald Renner
- ^ Gibson, David (April 18, 2008). "Cardinal Levada: No sanctions for bishops". Commonweal. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ^ a b c Russell, Ron (January 4, 2006). "Levada's Secret". SF Weekly. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ Despite criticism, Mahony should help select pope, says cardinal, Los Angeles Times, February 25, 2013
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.05.2005" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. May 13, 2005. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "Levada Card. William Joseph". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ "Consistory for the canonisation of five blesseds" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. June 20, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"". Holy See Press Office. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
- ^ "Di Membri Del Pontificio Consiglio Per La Promozione Della Nuova Evangelizzazione". Press.catholica.va. Archived from the original on January 10, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "Pope names German bishop as new head of doctrinal office". Catholic News Agency. July 2, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Pope Restructures "Ecclesia Dei"". Zenit.org. July 8, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ Ecclesiæ Unitatem, no. 6 a
- ^ Ecclesiæ Unitatem, no. 6 b
- ^ "Note of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans Entering the Catholic Church". Archived from the original on October 24, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
- ^ "Joint Statement by the Archbishop of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury" (Press release).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Vatican Clarification on Delay of Anglican Provision". Zenit News Agency. October 31, 2009. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ William Levada. "Whoever Is Not With Me Is Against Me". EWTN. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Levada, William (December 14, 2007). "Reflections on Catholics in Political Life and the Reception of Holy Communion". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007.
- ^ "The San Francisco Solution". Leaderu.com. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ Catholic Online (February 18, 2004). "Same-Sex Marriage Proposal for San Francisco ~ Statement by Archbishop William J. Levada – Prwire – Catholic Online". Catholic.org. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ Gordon, Rachel (March 22, 2006). "Supervisors slam Vatican on adoptions". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ a b "Cardinal Levada, former CDF prefect, dies aged 83". Catholic Herald. Catholic News Agency. September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ISBN 0-8091-2930-2.
- ^ (Doctoral dissertation, "Lex Naturae et Magisterium Ecclesiae," Pontifical Gregorian University Doctoral Thesis No. 4276/1968, July 18, 1968, Vol. II, p. 617. This thesis was only partially published in English in 1971.)
- ^ "Board of Directors". Ocp.org. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ Wagner, Matthew. "Vatican stays out of 'mission' conflict". Fr.jpost.com. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ Address at University of San Francisco, 2002.
- ^ San Francisco Faith, March 1999, online here [1] Archived October 31, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Haught, Nancy (July 4, 2012). "Cardinal Levada, formerly archbishop of Portland, retires in Rome; German will replace him". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ a b "Cardinal Levada voices regrets after DUI arrest in Hawaii". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on May 24, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ "B16's "Bombshell By the Bay" -- Marriage Chief Cordileone to Rock San Francisco". Whispers in the Loggia. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ "Roman Catholic cardinal arrested for DUI on the Big Island". Hawaii News Now. August 25, 2015. Archived from the original on August 27, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
- ^ "Arrested cardinal had blood alcohol level double legal limit in Kona". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. April 9, 2016. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
- ^ "U.S. Cardinal William Levada, former doctrinal head, dies in Rome". Catholic News Service. Catholic News Service. September 26, 2019. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
External links
- "Levada Card. William Joseph". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- Profile of Levada in "San Francisco Magazine" by Jason Berry Archived October 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Biography of Levada from Archdiocese of San Francisco website
- Statement of Levada on his appointment as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (May 13, 2005)
- Article in National Catholic Reporter by John Allen analyzing the choice of Levada (May 13, 2005)
- Profile of Levada in the San Francisco Chronicle (May 14, 2005)
- Interview with Vatican Radio shortly after his appointment as Prefect Archived October 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Tanner, Adam (January 9, 2006). "Top Vatican official testifies in US sex abuse case". Red Orbit. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.