Notable Alumni of Pontifical Gregorian University [Sorted List]

1. Krzysztof Charamsa

1972-. (aged 54)

presbyter poet university teacher theologian

Krzysztof Olaf Charamsa is a Polish theologian and author. In 2015, after declaring he was homosexual and in a relationship, he was suspended a divinis from his position as a Catholic priest and removed from all his previous posts in the Roman Curia.

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2. Michael Novak

1933-2017 (aged 84)

writer diplomat journalist philosopher political scientist

Michael John Novak Jr. was an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat. The author of more than forty books on the philosophy and theology of culture, Novak is most widely known for his book The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (1982). In 1993 Novak was honored with an honorary doctorate at Universidad Francisco Marroquín due to his commitment to the...

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3. Giuseppe Betori

1947-. (aged 79)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Giuseppe Betori is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Florence from 2008 to 2024. He became a bishop in 2001 when he was appointed secretary general of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), a post he held until 2008. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2012.

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4. Zenon Grocholewski

1939-2020 (aged 81)

university teacher Catholic priest lecturer Catholic bishop Catholic deacon

Zenon Grocholewski was a Polish prelate of the Catholic Church, who was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2001. He joined the Roman Curia in 1972 and served from 1999 until 2015 as Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

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5. Michael F. Feldkamp

1962-. (aged 64)

archivist writer church historian historian journalist

Michael F. Feldkamp is a German historian and journalist.

6. Paul Gallagher

1954-. (aged 72)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Sir Paul Richard Gallagher KCMG GCIH is a British prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Secretary for Relations with States within the Holy See's Secretariat of State since November 2014. He has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1984 and has held the rank of archbishop and apostolic nuncio since 2004, serving as nuncio...

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7. Edward Egan

1932-2015 (aged 83)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Edward Michael Egan was an American Catholic prelate who served as bishop of Bridgeport in Connecticut from 1988 to 2000 and as archbishop of New York from 2000 to 2009. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 2001.

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8. Salvatore J. Cordileone

1956-. (aged 70)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Salvatore Joseph Cordileone is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of San Francisco in California since 2012. He previously served as bishop of Oakland in California from 2009 to 2012 and as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of San Diego in California from 2002 to 2009.

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9. Rino Fisichella

1951-. (aged 75)

university teacher Catholic priest theologian writer Catholic bishop

Salvatore "Rino" Fisichella is an Italian Catholic prelate with the rank of archbishop. He has been the pro-prefect for the New Evangelization section of the Dicastery for Evangelization since 2022. He was the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization from 2010 to 2022 and of the Pontifical Academy for Life from 2008 to 2010.

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10. Bernard Lonergan

1904-1984 (aged 80)

university teacher theologian philosopher

Bernard Joseph Francis Lonergan SJ CC was a Canadian Jesuit priest, philosopher, and theologian regarded by many as one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century.

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11. Josip Bozanić

1949-. (aged 77)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop university teacher theologian

Josip Bozanić is a Croatian prelate of the Catholic Church who was the Archbishop of Zagreb from 1997 to 2023. He was previously Bishop of Krk from 1989 to 1997. He was made a cardinal in 2003. Bozanić is the Grand Prior of the Croatian Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

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12. Enrique Angelelli

1923-1976 (aged 53)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Enrique Ángel Angelelli Carletti was a bishop of the Catholic Church in Argentina who was assassinated during the Dirty War for his involvement with social issues. Angelelli commitment to the "Church of the Poor" offered a model for the future Pope Francis.

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13. Renato Martino

1932-2024 (aged 92)

diplomat Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Renato Raffaele Martino was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Created a cardinal in 2003, Martino became the longest serving cardinal deacon, the cardinal protodeacon, from June 2014. He served for more than twenty years in the diplomatic service of the Holy See, including sixteen years as Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations. He...

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14. Jozef De Kesel

1947-. (aged 79)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop university teacher theologian

Jozef De Kesel is a Belgian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels from 2015 to 2023. He previously served there as auxiliary bishop from 2002 to 2010. He served as Bishop of Bruges from 2010 to 2015 and was made a cardinal in 2016.

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15. Frei Damião

1898-1997 (aged 99)

missionary

Damião de Bozzano O.F.M. Cap., born as Pio Giannotti, was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member from the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin who served in the Brazilian missions for over six decades. Giannotti entered the order when he was twelve to do his ecclesial studies and religious formation of which he spent some of that time...

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16. Ndre Mjeda

1866-1937 (aged 71)

writer poet translator Catholic priest university teacher

Ndre Mjeda was an Albanian philologist, poet, priest, rilindas, translator and writer of the Albanian Renaissance. He was a member of the Mjeda family.

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17. Paul Laverty

1957-. (aged 69)

actor jurist lawyer screenwriter film screenwriter

Paul Laverty is an Irish and Scottish screenwriter and lawyer best known for his collaborations with Ken Loach. He has won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay and was a nominee for the Best Screenplay award at the BAFTAs.

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18. Józef Kowalczyk

1938-2025 (aged 87)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop archbishop Catholic deacon

Józef Kowalczyk was a Polish Roman Catholic prelate, canon lawyer and diplomat who, from 1989 to 2010, served as the first apostolic nuncio to Poland since World War II. He later served as archbishop of Gniezno and primate of Poland until his retirement in 2014.

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19. Jozef Tomko

1924-2022 (aged 98)

priest Catholic priest missionary university teacher religious writer

Jozef Tomko was a Slovak prelate of the Catholic Church who held positions in the Roman Curia from 1962 until he retired in 2007. He was prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 1985 to 2001 and president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses from 2001 to 2007. He was made a cardinal in 1985.

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20. Péter Pázmány

1570-1637 (aged 67)

Catholic bishop writer translator Catholic priest university teacher

Péter Pázmány de Panasz, S.J., was a Hungarian Jesuit who was a noted philosopher, theologian, cardinal, pulpit orator and statesman. He was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation in Royal Hungary.

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21. Daniel DiNardo

1949-. (aged 77)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Daniel Nicholas DiNardo is an American Catholic retired prelate who served as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston from 2006 to 2025. He previously served as Coadjutor and later Bishop of Sioux City from 1997 to 2004.

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22. Anthony Kenny

1931-. (aged 95)

philosopher

Sir Anthony John Patrick Kenny FBA is a British philosopher whose interests lie in the philosophy of mind, ancient and scholastic philosophy, the philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of Wittgenstein of whose literary estate he is an executor. With Peter Geach, he has made a significant contribution to analytical Thomism, a movement whose aim is to present the thought...

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23. Rafael Merry del Val

1865-1930 (aged 65)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop diplomat transitional deacon

Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta, OL was a Spanish Catholic bishop, Vatican official, and cardinal.

24. Arthur Roche

1950-. (aged 76)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Arthur Roche is a British bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. He has been prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments since 2021. He was previously secretary of the congregation from 2012 to 2021.

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25. Dionigi Tettamanzi

1934-2017 (aged 83)

archbishop Catholic bishop Catholic priest university teacher Esperantist

Dionigi Tettamanzi was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who was named a cardinal in 1998. He was Archbishop of Genoa from 1995 to 2002 and Archbishop of Milan from 2002 to 2011.

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26. Landell de Moura

1861-1928 (aged 67)

Catholic priest inventor physicist scientist

Father Roberto Landell de Moura, commonly known as Roberto Landell, was a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest and inventor. He is best known for his attempts in the 1880s to develop long-distance audio transmissions device that combined an improved megaphone device and a photophone (using light beams). Landell received patents in Brazil and the United States during the first decade of...

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27. Carlos Aguiar Retes

1950-. (aged 76)

Catholic deacon Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Carlos Aguiar Retes is a Mexican cardinal of the Catholic Church who serves as the Archbishop of Mexico City. He has served as an officer of the Mexican Episcopal Conference and the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM) and been president of both. He helped draft the landmark mission statement CELAM issued at the close of its 2007 conference in Aparecida....

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28. Cormac Murphy-O'Connor

1932-2017 (aged 85)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Cormac Murphy-O'Connor was a British Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Westminster from 2000 to 2009. He was also president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. He was made a cardinal in 2001.

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29. Ed Martin

1970-. (aged 56)

prosecutor lawyer politician

Edward Robert Martin Jr. is an American conservative activist, politician, and lawyer who has served as the United States pardon attorney since May 2025. He previously served as interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia from January to May 2025, appointed by President Donald Trump. He was chair of the Missouri Republican Party from 2013 to 2015.

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30. Eduardo Martínez Somalo

1927-2021 (aged 94)

university teacher Catholic priest theologian diplomat Catholic bishop

Eduardo Martínez Somalo was a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who spent most of his career in the Roman Curia, first in the Secretariat of State from 1956 to 1975 and from 1979 to 1988, and then leading two of its principal dicasteries: the Congregation for Divine Worship from 1988 to 1992 and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated...

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31. John Berchmans

1599-1621 (aged 22)

Catholic seminarian

John Berchmans, SJ was a Belgian Jesuit scholastic and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church.

32. Stanisław Ryłko

1945-. (aged 81)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Stanisław Marian Ryłko is a Polish cardinal of the Catholic Church. He held positions in the Roman Curia beginning in 1987 and was president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity from 2003 to 2016. He was made a cardinal in 2007. He was Archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore from 2016 to 2025.

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33. Scipione Borghese

1576-1633 (aged 57)

diplomat Catholic bishop patron of the arts librarian Catholic deacon

Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese was an Italian cardinal, art collector and patron of the arts. A member of the Borghese family, he was the patron of the painter Caravaggio and the artist Bernini. His legacy is the establishment of the art collection at the Villa Borghese in Rome.

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34. Giovanni Benelli

1921-1982 (aged 61)

Catholic deacon Catholic priest theologian diplomat Catholic bishop

Giovanni Benelli was an Italian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Florence from 1977 until his death. He previously served as Deputy Secretary of State for the Holy See from 1967 until he was appointed to Archbishop of Florence and made a cardinal the same year.

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35. Franz König

1905-2004 (aged 99)

Catholic bishop Catholic priest university teacher bishop philosopher

Franz König was an Austrian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of Vienna from 1956 to 1985, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1958. The last surviving cardinal elevated by Pope John XXIII, he was the longest-serving and second-oldest cardinal worldwide at the time of his death.

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36. Mariano Rampolla

1843-1913 (aged 70)

Catholic priest

Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro was an Italian Cardinal in the Catholic Church, and the last man to have his candidacy for papal election vetoed through jus exclusivae by a Catholic monarch.

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37. Theodore Hesburgh

1917-2015 (aged 98)

Catholic priest theologian university teacher writer

Theodore Martin Hesburgh, CSC was an American Catholic priest and academic who was a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. He was president of the University of Notre Dame for 35 years from 1952 to 1987 and served in numerous appointed positions in the US government, including as chairman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

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38. Roger Etchegaray

1922-2019 (aged 97)

Catholic priest Christian minister Catholic bishop diplomat

Roger Marie Élie Etchegaray was a French cardinal of the Catholic Church. Etchegaray served as the Archbishop of Marseille from 1970 to 1985 before entering the Roman Curia, where he served as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (1984–1998) and President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum (1984–1995). He was elevated to the rank of cardinal in...

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39. Camillo Ruini

1931-. (aged 95)

theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Camillo Ruini is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was made a cardinal in 1991. He served as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference from 1991 to 2007 and as Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome from 1991 to 2008.

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40. Gianfranco Ravasi

1942-. (aged 84)

Catholic priest theologian university teacher screenwriter Judaic scholar

Gianfranco Ravasi is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church and a biblical scholar. A cardinal since 2010, he was President of the Pontifical Council for Culture from 2007 to 2022. He headed Milan's Ambrosian Library from 1989 to 2007.

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41. Norberto Rivera Carrera

1942-. (aged 84)

university teacher Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Norberto Rivera Carrera is a Mexican prelate of the Catholic Church who was archbishop of Mexico from 1995 to 2017. He was made a cardinal in 1998. He was Bishop of Tehuacán from 1985 to 1995.

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42. Titus Brandsma

1881-1942 (aged 61)

Catholic priest university teacher

Titus Brandsma OCarm was a Dutch Carmelite priest and a professor of philosophy. Brandsma was vehemently opposed to Nazi ideology and spoke out against it many times before World War II. He was imprisoned at the Dachau concentration camp, where he was murdered in 1942.

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43. Angelo De Donatis

1954-. (aged 72)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Angelo De Donatis is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as Major Penitentiary since 2024. He was Cardinal Vicar (officially Vicar General of His Holiness) and Archpriest of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran from 2017 to 2024.

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44. Fernando Vérgez Alzaga

1945-. (aged 81)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop Catholic deacon Legionary of Christ

Fernando Vérgez Alzaga L.C. is a Spanish Catholic prelate who served as President of the Pontifical Commission and Governorate for Vatican City State from 2021 to 2025. He was Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State from 2013 to 2021, and before that, director of the Vatican City State Telecommunications Directorate.

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45. Marek Jędraszewski

1949-. (aged 77)

philosopher Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Marek Jędraszewski is a Polish Catholic prelate who served as Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków from 2016 to 2025. He served as Metropolitan Archbishop of Łódź from 2012 to 2017. He has also been vice president of the Polish Episcopal Conference since 2014.

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46. Joachim Meisner

1933-2017 (aged 84)

archbishop Catholic bishop writer Catholic priest transitional deacon

Joachim Meisner was a German Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Cologne from 1989 to 2014. He previously served as Bishop of Berlin from 1980 to 1989, and was created a cardinal in 1983. He was widely considered to be Germany's leading conservative Catholic figure.

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47. Vincent Nichols

1945-. (aged 81)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop theologian Catholic deacon

Vincent Gerard Nichols is an English Catholic prelate. A cardinal since 2014, he served as Archbishop of Westminster from 2009 to 2025. He was the Archbishop of Birmingham from 2000 to 2009 and is president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.

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48. Józef Glemp

1929-2013 (aged 84)

university teacher Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Józef Glemp was a Polish cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Warsaw from 1981 to 2006, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1983. He assumed the title of Primate of Poland following Stefan Wyszyński's death.

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49. Ngô Đình Thục

1897-1984 (aged 87)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục was a Vietnamese Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Huế in the Republic of Vietnam from 1960 until 1968. He later lived in exile in Europe due to the unrest in his country and became a sedevacantist, consequently excommunicated twice by the Catholic Church. Five months before he died, he repented his views...

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50. Filippo Grandi

1957-. (aged 69)

diplomat philosopher historian

Filippo Grandi is an Italian diplomat and United Nations official, who has served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2016 to 2025. He previously served as Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and United Nations Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. He received the Olympic Laureate award during...

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51. Adolfo Nicolás

1936-2020 (aged 84)

Catholic priest university teacher

Adolfo Nicolás Pachón SJ was a Spanish Catholic priest who served as the 30th superior general of the Society of Jesus from 2008 to 2016. He previously taught at Sophia University in Tokyo for twenty years and headed educational institutions in Manila from 1978 to 1984 and in Tokyo from 1991 to 1993. He led the Jesuits in Japan from...

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52. Giuseppe Siri

1906-1989 (aged 83)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Giuseppe Siri was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Genoa from 1946 to 1987, and was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 1953. A protégé of Pope Pius XII, he took part in the Second Vatican Council and was considered a papabile for 20 years, during the conclaves of 1958, 1963, August 1978...

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53. Carlo Maria Martini

1927-2012 (aged 85)

Catholic priest theologian biblical scholar university teacher Catholic deacon

Carlo Maria Martini SJ was an Italian Jesuit and Biblical scholar. He served as Archbishop of Milan from 1980 to 2002 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1983.

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54. Innocent XIII

1655-1724 (aged 69)

Catholic priest

Pope Innocent XIII, born as Michelangelo dei Conti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 May 1721 to his death in March 1724. He remains the most recent pope to take the pontifical name "Innocent".

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55. Gregory XV

1554-1623 (aged 69)

Latin Catholic priest

Pope Gregory XV, born Alessandro Ludovisi, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 February 1621 until his death in 1623. He is notable for founding the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, an organization tasked with overseeing the spread of Catholicism and missionary work. Gregory XV was also responsible for the...

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56. Innocent XII

1615-1700 (aged 85)

Catholic priest

Pope Innocent XII, born Antonio Pignatelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1691 until his death in September 1700.

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57. Clement X

1590-1676 (aged 86)

diplomat Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Pope Clement X, born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death on 22 July 1676.

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58. Innocent X

1574-1655 (aged 81)

diplomat Catholic priest

Pope Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655.

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59. Angelo Sodano

1927-2022 (aged 95)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop Latin Catholic priest theologian

Angelo Raffaele Sodano was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the Dean of the College of Cardinals from 2005 to 2019 and previously as the Cardinal Secretary of State from 1991 to 2006; Sodano was the first person since 1828 to serve simultaneously as Dean and Secretary of State.

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60. Robert Bellarmine

1542-1621 (aged 79)

philologist theologian university teacher Latin Catholic priest Hebraist

Robert Bellarmine SJ was an Italian Jesuit and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was canonized a saint in 1930 and named Doctor of the Church, one of only 27 at the time. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation.

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61. Clement XI

1649-1721 (aged 72)

Catholic priest

Pope Clement XI, born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721.

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62. Clement XII

1652-1740 (aged 88)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Pope Clement XII, born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740.

63. Aloysius Stepinac

1898-1960 (aged 62)

Catholic theologian Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Aloysius Viktor Stepinac was a Croat prelate of the Catholic Church. Made a cardinal in 1953, Stepinac served as Archbishop of Zagreb from 1937 until his death.

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64. Jean-Louis Tauran

1943-2018 (aged 75)

librarian archivist Catholic priest

Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran was a French cardinal of the Catholic Church. When he died, he had been the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue since 2007 and Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church since the end of 2014. He was made a cardinal in 2003 and was the Cardinal Protodeacon from 2011 to 2014. His earlier career included...

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65. Urban VIII

1568-1644 (aged 76)

Catholic priest patron of the arts Catholic bishop writer

Pope Urban VIII, born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal territory by force of arms and advantageous politicking, and was also a prominent patron of the arts, commissioning works from artists like Gian Lorenzo Bernini,...

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66. Raymond Leo Burke

1948-. (aged 78)

Catholic bishop jurist writer Catholic priest judge

Raymond Leo Burke is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 2014 to 2023. He previously served as Archbishop of St. Louis from 2004 to 2008 and Bishop of La Crosse from 1995 to 2004. From 2008 to 2014, he was the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of...

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67. Giovanni Battista Re

1934-. (aged 92)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Giovanni Battista Re is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as Dean of the College of Cardinals since 2020. He was made a cardinal in 2001 and served as prefect of the Congregation for Bishops from 2000 to 2010. As the most senior cardinal bishop in attendance, he chaired the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.

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68. Athanasius Kircher

1602-1680 (aged 78)

physicist university teacher writer mathematician composer

Athanasius Kircher SJ was a German Jesuit scholar and polymath who published around 40 major works of comparative religion, geology, and medicine. Kircher has been compared to fellow Jesuit Roger Joseph Boscovich and to Leonardo da Vinci for his vast range of interests, and has been honoured with the title "Master of a Hundred Arts". He taught for more than...

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69. Robert Sarah

1945-. (aged 81)

Latin Catholic bishop priest Catholic priest

Robert Sarah is a Guinean Catholic prelate who served as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 23 November 2014 to 20 February 2021. He previously served as secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples under Pope John Paul II and president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum under Pope Benedict...

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70. Aloysius Gonzaga

1568-1591 (aged 23)

religious regular cleric

Aloysius de Gonzaga, SJ was an Italian aristocrat who became a member of the Society of Jesus. While still a student at the Roman College, he died as a result of caring for the victims of a serious epidemic. He was beatified in 1605 and canonized in 1726.

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71. Pius XI

1857-1939 (aged 82)

Latin Catholic priest librarian Catholic bishop mountaineer missionary

Pope Pius XI was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 until his death in February 1939. He was also the first sovereign of Vatican City upon its creation on 11 February 1929.

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72. Benedict XV

1854-1922 (aged 68)

Latin Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Pope Benedict XV was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His pontificate was largely overshadowed by World War I and its political, social, and humanitarian consequences in Europe.

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73. Pietro Parolin

1955-. (aged 71)

archbishop Catholic bishop jurist Catholic priest secretary

Pietro Parolin is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as the Vatican's Secretary of State since 2013, and has served as a member of the Council of Cardinals since 2014, the same year he was made a cardinal.

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74. Óscar Romero

1917-1980 (aged 63)

Latin Catholic priest

Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez was a prelate of the Catholic Church in El Salvador. He served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, the Titular Bishop of Tambeae, as Bishop of Santiago de María, and finally as the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador. As archbishop, Romero spoke out against social injustice and violence amid the escalating conflict...

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75. Cardinal Mazarin

1602-1661 (aged 59)

Catholic priest politician diplomat art collector Catholic bishop

Jules Mazarin, from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Louis XIII and Louis XIV from 1642 to his death. He was made a cardinal in 1641.

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76. Carlo Maria Viganò

1941-. (aged 85)

anti-vaccine activist Catholic priest theologian Catholic bishop Catholic deacon

Carlo Maria Viganò is an Italian traditionalist Catholic archbishop who served as Apostolic Nuncio to the United States from 2011 to 2016 and as secretary-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State from 2009 to 2011. He is known for having publicized the Vatican leaks scandal of 2012, in which he revealed financial corruption in the Vatican, and a 2018...

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77. John Paul I

1912-1978 (aged 66)

Latin Catholic priest university teacher writer Latin Catholic bishop transitional deacon

Pope John Paul I was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history, giving rise to the most recent year of three popes—the first since 1605. John Paul I remains the most recent Italian-born pope, the last in a...

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78. Paul VI

1897-1978 (aged 81)

Latin Catholic priest diplomat

Pope Paul VI was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXIII, he continued the Second Vatican Council, which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms. He fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches, which resulted in many historic meetings...

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79. Pius XII

1876-1958 (aged 82)

Latin Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Pope Pius XII was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958.

80. Leo XIII

1810-1903 (aged 93)

Latin Catholic priest Catholic bishop nuncio writer archbishop

Pope Leo XIII was head of the Catholic Church from 1878 until his death in 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of St. Peter, Pius IX (his predecessor), and John Paul II.

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81. Pius IX

1792-1878 (aged 86)

diplomat Catholic priest

Pope Pius IX was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in history and second only to Saint Peter according to Catholic tradition. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican Council in 1868 which defined the dogma of papal infallibility before taking a break...

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82. Maximilian Kolbe

1894-1941 (aged 47)

newspaper proprietor religious theologian publisher Esperantist

Maximilian Maria Kolbe OFMConv was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, priest, missionary, and martyr. He volunteered to die in place of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek in the German death camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II. He had been active in promoting the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, founding and supervising the monastery of...

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83. Angelo Amato

1938-2024 (aged 86)

archbishop dean Catholic priest theologian university teacher

Angelo Amato, S.D.B. was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints between 2008 and 2018. He served as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2002 to 2008 and became a cardinal in 2010.

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84. Donald Wuerl

1940-. (aged 86)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Donald William Wuerl is an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Washington from 2006 to 2018. He previously served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle (1986 to 1987) and Bishop of Pittsburgh (1988 to 2006). Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal in 2010.

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85. Kevin Farrell

1947-. (aged 79)

Latin Catholic priest philosopher Legionary of Christ Catholic bishop missionary

Kevin Joseph Farrell is an Irish-born American Catholic prelate who has served as the prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life since 2016, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church since 2019, and president of the Supreme Court of Vatican City since 2024. He served as the regent of Vatican City after the death of Pope Francis on...

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86. Marc Ouellet

1944-. (aged 82)

university teacher Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Marc Armand Ouellet PSS is a Canadian Catholic prelate who served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America from 2010 to 2023. He is a member of the Sulpicians.

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87. Luis Ladaria Ferrer

1944-. (aged 82)

Catholic bishop Latin Catholic priest university teacher theologian

Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer SJ is a Spanish Jesuit, theologian and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. After a thirty-year career teaching theology, he joined the Roman Curia in 2004 as Secretary-General of the International Theological Commission. He was made an archbishop when named secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in 2008 and served as...

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88. Friedrich Wetter

1928-. (aged 98)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop university teacher theologian

Friedrich Wetter is a German cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany, from 1982 to 2007. He was Bishop of Speyer from 1968 to 1982. He has been a cardinal since 1985.

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89. Jean-Claude Hollerich

1958-. (aged 68)

university teacher Catholic priest regular cleric Catholic bishop archbishop

Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ is a Luxembourgish Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Luxembourg since 2011. He was the president of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) from March 2018 to 2023. He is a member of the Jesuits.

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90. Karl Lehmann

1936-2018 (aged 82)

university teacher Catholic priest theologian writer Catholic bishop

Karl Lehmann was a German prelate and cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Mainz from 1983 to 2016, being elevated to the cardinalate in 2001.

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91. Hans Küng

1928-2021 (aged 93)

university teacher Catholic priest theologian writer philosopher

Hans Küng was a Swiss Catholic priest, theologian, and author. From 1995 he was president of the Foundation for a Global Ethic (Stiftung Weltethos).

92. Godfried Danneels

1933-2019 (aged 86)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop university teacher theologian

Godfried Maria Jules Danneels was a Belgian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and the chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Belgium from 1979 to 2010. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1983.

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93. Adam Stefan Sapieha

1867-1951 (aged 84)

Catholic deacon Catholic priest politician Catholic bishop theologian

Prince Adam Stefan Stanisław Bonifacy Józef Sapieha was a Polish Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Kraków from 1911 to 1951. A member of the Polish nobility, between 1922 and 1923 he was a senator of the Second Polish Republic. In 1946, Pope Pius XII made him a cardinal.

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94. Josyf Slipyj

1892-1984 (aged 92)

Catholic deacon Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Josyf Slipyi was a Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

95. Ivan Illich

1926-2002 (aged 76)

sociologist historian theologian pedagogue writer

Ivan Dominic Illich was an Austrian Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher, and social critic. His 1971 book Deschooling Society criticises modern society's institutional approach to education, an approach that demotivates and alienates individuals from the process of learning. His 1975 book Medical Nemesis, importing to the sociology of medicine the concept of medical harm, argues that industrialised society widely impairs quality...

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96. Gustavo Gutiérrez

1928-2024 (aged 96)

university teacher Catholic priest theologian philosopher Catholic theologian

Gustavo Gutiérrez-Merino Díaz OP was a Peruvian Catholic philosopher, theologian, and Dominican priest who was one of the founders of Latin American liberation theology. His 1971 book A Theology of Liberation is considered pivotal to the formation of liberation theology at large. He held the John Cardinal O'Hara Professorship of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and was a...

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97. Fernando Lugo

1951-. (aged 75)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop sociologist politician

Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez is a Paraguayan politician and laicized Catholic bishop who was President of Paraguay from 2008 to 2012. Previously, he was a Roman Catholic priest and bishop, serving as Bishop of the Diocese of San Pedro from 1994 to 2005. He was elected as president in 2008, an election that ended 61 years of rule by the...

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98. Odilo Scherer

1949-. (aged 77)

university teacher Catholic bishop Catholic priest

Odilo Pedro Scherer is a Brazilian cardinal of the Catholic Church. Since 2007 he has been the Archbishop of São Paulo, where he was auxiliary bishop from 2001 to 2007. From 1994 to 2001 he worked in the Roman Curia at the Congregation for Bishops.

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99. Víctor Manuel Fernández

1962-. (aged 64)

Catholic theologian university teacher Catholic deacon writer Catholic bishop

Víctor Manuel "Tucho" Fernández is an Argentine prelate of the Catholic Church and a theologian. He is currently the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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100. Leonardo Sandri

1943-. (aged 83)

Catholic priest Catholic bishop

Leonardo Sandri is an Argentine prelate of the Catholic Church who has been a cardinal since November 2007 and vice dean of the College of Cardinals since January 2020. He was prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches from 2007 to 2022. He served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1974 to 1991 in several overseas...

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