Justin Rigali

Justin Francis Rigali (born April 19, 1935) is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church.

The youngest of seven children, Justin Rigali was born on April 19, 1935, in Los Angeles, California, to Henry Alphonsus and Frances Irene (née White) Rigali.

His sister Charlotte joined the Sisters of St. Joseph and his brother Norbert the Society of Jesus.

Rigali attended Holy Cross School before entering the preparatory seminary in Hancock Park, Los Angeles, in 1949.

Rigali studied at one of the Los Angeles College campuses, at Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary in San Fernando, California, and at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California.

Rigali was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Cardinal James McIntyre on April 25, 1961.

After his ordination, Rigali received pastoral assignments at parishes in Los Angeles and Downey, California.

In 1961, Rigali earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In October 1961, he entered the graduate division of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, obtaining a Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1964.

While in Rome, Rigalo served as an assistant during the first two sessions (1962–1963) of the Second Vatican Council.

Rigali returned to California in the summer of 1964 and was briefly assigned as an associate pastor at a parish in Pomona.

Back to Rome, he studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy from 1964 to 1966 in preparation for his diplomatic work for the Vatican.

Rigali began his service in the English section of the Secretariat of State on November 25, 1964.

From September 1966 to February 1970, he served as secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature to Madagascar.

The Vatican named Rigali as a papal chamberlain on July 11, 1967.

On February 11, 1970, Rigali became director of the English section of the Secretariat of State.

He also served as the English translator for Pope Paul VI, accompanying him on several international trips.

During his service at the Secretariat of State, Rigali also served as a chaplain at a Carmelite monastery and as a professor at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

He accompanied Pope John Paul II on several international trips, including his 1979 and 1987 visits to the United States.

The Vatican elevated Rigali to a prelate of honor on April 19, 1980, and to a magistral chaplain in the Order of the Knights of Malta on October 25, 1984.

On June 8, 1985, Rigali was appointed president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and titular archbishop of Volsinium by John Paul II.

He received his episcopal consecration on September 14, 1985, from John Paul II, with Cardinals Eduardo Somalo and Achille Silvestrini as co-consecrators, at Albano Cathedral in Lazio, Italy.

Rigali selected as his episcopal motto: Verbum Caro Factum Est, meaning, "The Word Became Flesh".

From 1985 to 1990, Rigali also held several positions within the Roman Curia:

During the same time, Rigali also provided pastoral service to parishes and seminaries in Rome.

He was named a member of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre on October 13, 1986.

He was the eighth Archbishop of Philadelphia, having previously served as Archbishop of St. Louis from 1994 to 2003, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2003.

On January 25, 1994, John Paul II named Rigali as the seventh archbishop of St. Louis.

Rigali was installed in St. Louis, Missouri, by Cardinal Bernardin Gantin on March 15, 1994.

Rigalio became a member of the Knights of Columbus on November 7, 1994.

During his tenure at St. Louis, Rigali showed a great interest in schools, visiting every Catholic high school in the archdiocese.

However, Rigali opposed collective bargaining by teachers, and opposed any efforts they made to unionize.

Rigali was widely credited as an able administrator and effective fundraiser, although observers said that his popularity dimmed as his tenure continued.

In January 1999, Rigali hosted the visit of John Paul II to St. Louis.

The pope reportedly decided to visit the archdiocese because of his longtime close friendship with Rigali in Rome.

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, Rigali "brought financial stability to the St. Louis Archdiocese, overseeing successful capital campaigns to address immediate needs and raising endowment funds for the future."

Rigali was appointed the eighth archbishop of Philadelphia by John Paul II on July 15, 2003.

He was installed as archbishop on October 7, 2003.

On September 28, 2003, the Vatican elevated Rigali to the College of Cardinals, a customary privilege for the archbishops of Philadelphia.

Following a sex abuse probe into the Catholic Church, Cardinal Rigali resigned in 2011.

Rigali previously served as the Committee for Pro-Life Activities chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.