Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Address “The Council: A Prophecy that Continues with Pope Francis”
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, will deliver an address at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, at The Catholic University of America titled “The Council: A Prophecy that Continues with Pope Francis.”
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University chancellor, will introduce Cardinal Parolin at the event. Following the address, the University will bestow on Cardinal Parolin an honorary degree, Doctor of Theology, honoris causa.
Cardinal Parolin will deliver his one-hour address in Italian. The event will be simultaneously translated into English. The event will take place in Heritage Hall in Father O’Connell Hall on the University campus, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C.
The cardinal is scheduled to preside over the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to be held in Baltimore Nov. 13 and 14.
Cardinal Parolin became the youngest prelate to hold the position of Vatican secretary of state since 1929 when he was appointed to the office four years ago at the age of 58. He has worked for the Holy See in Nigeria, Mexico, and Venezuela, where he served as apostolic nuncio.
Named a cardinal in 2014, he has addressed the United Nations Security Council on the dangers of religion-based terrorism, urged global leaders to adopt a “transformative agreement” on the problem of climate change, and encouraged the international community to address the religious persecution that forces millions to become refugees, forced migrants, and internally displaced persons.
Ordained in 1980, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy three years later. In 1986 he entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service and earned a degree in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Cardinal Parolin was born in Schiavon, Italy, the son of a hardware store manager and an elementary school teacher.
The cardinal’s talk is open to the public and the media. The event will be livestreamed. For more information about the event, email cua-conferences@cua.edu.
MEDIA: To cover the lecture, reporters must register by 3 p.m. on Monday by contacting the Office of Marketing and Communications at 202-319-5600 or communications@cua.edu.