Cardinal Donald Wuerl

Cardinal Donald Wuerl is the Archbishop of Washington and was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. He participated in the March 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

He serves on numerous national and international bodies including the Vatican Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith, for Bishops, for Clergy, and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and for Culture. He is the former chairman of numerous committees of the USCCB and is a member of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis and the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

Cardinal Wuerl is known for his teaching ministry and is involved in many education, health care and social service organizations. He is the author of numerous articles and over a dozen books.

The Cardinal was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and received graduate degrees from The Catholic University of America, the Gregorian University in Rome and a doctorate in theology from the University of Saint Thomas in Rome. He was ordained a bishop by Pope John Paul II in 1986 in Rome. He served as Auxiliary Bishop in Seattle until 1987 and then as Bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years until his appointment to Washington.