Jorge María Mejía
Encyclopedia
Jorge María Mejía is an Argentine
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He is Archivist Emeritus
of the Holy Roman Church and Librarian Emeritus
of the Holy Roman Church.
for the Metropolitan See of Buenos Aires
on September 22, 1945. He taught Sacred Scripture
at several universities
, participated at the Second Vatican Council
as a peritus
, and on September 20, 1978, was made a Chaplain of His Holiness
.
of Apollonia, and an official of the Curial
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
. His episcopal consecration
took place on the following April 12, and was performed by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray (with Archbishop Eduardo Martínez Somalo
and Bishop Antonio María Javierre Ortas
as co-consecrators).
Mejía was subsequently named Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops
on March 5, 1994. Five days later, on March 10, he was appointed Secretary of the College of Cardinals
. On March 7, 1998, he became both the Archivist and the Librarian of the Holy Roman Church.
of San Girolamo della Carità
by Pope John Paul II
in the consistory
of February 21, 2001. He retired as archivist and librarian on November 24, 2003. On 21 February 2010, he opted for the order of Cardinal Priest, with his former diaconal church elevated to the level of cardinalitial title.
Cardinal Mejía was 82 at the time of the 2005 papal conclave
, and thus not eligible to vote. He holds a doctorate
in theology
from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), and a license
in biblical science
from the Pontifical Biblical Institute
.
The Cardinal led the delegation from the Holy See
's Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews
to the Rome, January 17-20, 2010 meeting of the Commission for Dialogue between Jews and Catholics (the ninth such meeting). He is also interested in interfaith dialogue with world religions and currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute
.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He is Archivist Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of the Holy Roman Church and Librarian Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of the Holy Roman Church.
Early life and ordination
Mejía was ordained to the priesthoodPriesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
for the Metropolitan See of Buenos Aires
Archdiocese of Buenos Aires
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Buenos Aires is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church based on the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. The Archbishop since 28 February 1998 is Jorge Bergoglio...
on September 22, 1945. He taught Sacred Scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
at several universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, participated at the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
as a peritus
Peritus
Peritus is the title given to Roman Catholic theologians who are present to give advice at an ecumenical council. At the most recent council, the Second Vatican Council, some periti accompanied individual bishops or groups of bishops from various countries...
, and on September 20, 1978, was made a Chaplain of His Holiness
Chaplain of His Holiness
A Chaplain of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges, such as regards ecclesiastical dress....
.
Bishop
On March 8, 1986, he was appointed titular archbishopTitular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Apollonia, and an official of the Curial
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is a part of the Roman Curia dedicated to "action-oriented studies" for the international promotion of justice, peace, and human rights from the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church...
. His episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
took place on the following April 12, and was performed by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray (with Archbishop Eduardo Martínez Somalo
Eduardo Martínez Somalo
Eduardo Martínez Somalo is a Spanish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life and ordination:Martínez Somalo was born in the small town of Baños de Río Tobía in La Rioja, Spain, and had five brothers and four sisters...
and Bishop Antonio María Javierre Ortas
Antonio María Javierre Ortas
Antonio María Javierre Ortas S.D.B. was a cardinal of the Catholic Church, and former prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Vatican....
as co-consecrators).
Mejía was subsequently named Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops
Congregation for Bishops
The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...
on March 5, 1994. Five days later, on March 10, he was appointed Secretary of the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
. On March 7, 1998, he became both the Archivist and the Librarian of the Holy Roman Church.
Cardinal
He was created Cardinal-DeaconCardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of San Girolamo della Carità
San Girolamo della Carità
San Girolamo della Carità is a church in Rome, Italy, located near the Palazzo Farnese and Campo de' Fiori.The church belonged originally to the Franciscan Observants. In 1524 it was taken over by the Archconfraternita della Carità, founded by Giulio de' Medici in 1519; a society of noblemen from...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of February 21, 2001. He retired as archivist and librarian on November 24, 2003. On 21 February 2010, he opted for the order of Cardinal Priest, with his former diaconal church elevated to the level of cardinalitial title.
Cardinal Mejía was 82 at the time of the 2005 papal conclave
Papal conclave, 2005
The Papal conclave of 2005 was convened as a result of the death of Pope John Paul II on 2 April 2005. After his death, the cardinals who were in Rome met and set a date for the beginning of the conclave to elect John Paul's successor. The conclave began on 18 April 2005 and ended on the following...
, and thus not eligible to vote. He holds a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), and a license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
in biblical science
Biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...
from the Pontifical Biblical Institute
Pontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
.
The Cardinal led the delegation from the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
's Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews
Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews
The Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews is a pontifical commission in the Roman Curia tasked with maintaining positive theological ties with Jews and Judaism...
to the Rome, January 17-20, 2010 meeting of the Commission for Dialogue between Jews and Catholics (the ninth such meeting). He is also interested in interfaith dialogue with world religions and currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute
The Elijah Interfaith Institute
The Elijah Interfaith Institute is a nonprofit, international, interfaith organization which was founded by Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein in 1997. Its mission is to foster peace between the world's diverse faith communities through interfaith dialogue, education, research and dissemination...
.