Odilo Scherer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Odilo Pedro Scherer |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop of São Paulo | |
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Scherer on 16 September 2018
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | São Paulo |
| See | São Paulo |
| Appointed | 21 March 2007 |
| Enthroned | 29 April 2007 |
| Predecessor | Cláudio Hummes |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale (2007-) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 7 December 1976 |
| Consecration | 2 February 2002 by Cláudio Hummes |
| Created Cardinal | 24 November 2007 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Odilo Pedro Scherer |
| Born | 21 September 1949 Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | In meam commemorationem ("In memory of me") |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Odilo Scherer |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | São Paulo |
Odilo Pedro Scherer (born 21 September 1949) is a Brazilian cardinal in the Catholic Church. A cardinal is a very important leader in the Catholic Church, chosen by the Pope. Since 2007, he has been the Archbishop of São Paulo. An archbishop leads a large area of churches called an archdiocese. Before this, he was an auxiliary bishop in São Paulo from 2001 to 2007. An auxiliary bishop helps the main bishop. From 1994 to 2001, he worked in the Roman Curia, which is like the central government of the Catholic Church. He was part of the Congregation for Bishops, a group that helps the Pope choose bishops.
Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal in 2007. People in the news thought he might become the next Pope in 2013. When he turned 75, he offered to step down, but Pope Francis asked him to stay for two more years.
People describe him as a smart leader who understands money and the economy. He is also seen as thoughtful and quiet. His ideas about faith are considered balanced, but some people in Brazil see them as more traditional. He is known for being reserved, like his German ancestors, rather than outgoing like many Brazilians. He focuses on helping the poor and encourages regular church members to get involved.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
Odilo Pedro Scherer was born on 21 September 1949, in Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He was the seventh of eleven children in his family. His family was part of the German Brazilian community. His great-grandfather came from Germany in the 1880s. Odilo was first named "Otto" but changed it to "Odilo" because he liked the sound of it better. His uncle, Alfredo Scherer, was also a very important church leader, an Archbishop and a Cardinal.
Odilo studied philosophy and theology to become a priest. On 7 December 1976, he became a priest for the Diocese of Toledo.
Early Church Roles
After becoming a priest, Scherer worked in different roles. He was a rector (leader) and professor at church seminaries, which are schools for training priests. He also taught philosophy at universities. From 1985 to 1988, he was a parish priest, leading a local church. He even worked as a parish priest in Germany for a while.
He continued his studies in Rome, earning a special degree in theology. When he returned to Brazil, he again led seminaries and taught theology. He also worked with the Episcopal Conference of Brazil, a group of bishops in Brazil.
In 1994, he started working for the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. This group helps the Pope choose new bishops around the world. He stayed there until he became a bishop himself in 2001.
Becoming a Bishop and Archbishop
On 28 November 2001, Pope John Paul II chose Scherer to be an auxiliary bishop for São Paulo. He was also named the titular bishop of Novi. On 2 February 2002, he had his episcopal consecration, which is the special ceremony where someone becomes a bishop.
In May 2003, he was chosen to be the secretary general of the Brazilian bishops' conference (CNBB). This meant he helped manage the group of all the bishops in Brazil. He was known for being well-trained, calm, and firm when needed.
Pope Benedict XVI then named Scherer the Archbishop of São Paulo on 21 March 2007. He officially started this role on 29 April 2007. This was important because the Pope was visiting Brazil soon after. Scherer was seen as a "moderate" leader, similar to the archbishop before him. He talked about how the Church should help the poor and work for fairness in society.
Scherer welcomed Pope Benedict when he visited Brazil in May 2007. He was with the Pope for much of his visit to São Paulo.
Becoming a Cardinal
On 17 October 2007, Pope Benedict announced that he would make Scherer a cardinal. This happened on 24 November 2007, in a special ceremony called a papal consistory. He became a cardinal-priest with a special church in Rome called Sant'Andrea al Quirinale.
As a cardinal, he was given many important tasks. In 2008, Pope Benedict appointed him to a special group of cardinals that looked after the Vatican Bank, which handles the finances of the Vatican. He also joined the Synod of Bishops, a meeting where bishops from around the world discuss important church matters.
He was also appointed to the Pontifical Council for the Family, which deals with issues related to families. Later, he joined the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, which advises the Pope on church matters in Latin America.
Views and Actions
Cardinal Scherer has spoken out on important issues. He believes that traditional religious symbols in public places, like crucifixes, do not harm the separation of church and state. He also said that removing them would not be good for Brazil.
In 2010, when Pope Benedict created the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, Scherer explained that it was to help the Church share its message better around the world. He became one of the first members of this new group.
In 2013, Scherer was one of the 115 cardinals who voted in the conclave to choose the next Pope after Pope Benedict resigned. Many news outlets mentioned him as a possible candidate to become Pope. Pope Francis was eventually elected.
Cardinal Scherer has also faced challenges in Brazil's changing political world. In 2017, he defended the Church's work to give food to the poor. He said it was wrong for people to criticize these efforts. He stated that refusing food to the poor or using their hunger for political reasons was disrespectful. In 2019, he also defended a religious service that was part of a meeting of bishops about the Amazon region.
Since May 2019, Scherer has been an important representative for the Brazilian bishops to the Episcopal Conference of Latin America (CELAM). He was also chosen as the vice president of CELAM. In 2020, Pope Francis named him a member of the Council for the Economy, another group that helps manage the Vatican's money.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Scherer first tried to keep churches open safely. But then, he decided to stop all public church services to protect people. He defended this decision, even when some people disagreed.
In November 2023, he suspended a priest who refused to follow church rules and called Scherer and Pope Francis "heretics." Scherer explained that the issue was not just about a specific type of Mass, but about refusing to accept the decisions of the Second Vatican Council and the Pope's authority. He said that ignoring these things could cause chaos in the Church.
In September 2024, when he turned 75, Cardinal Scherer offered to resign as archbishop, as is customary. However, Pope Francis asked him to continue serving for two more years.
Writings
Cardinal Scherer has written several books, including:
- Justo sofredor: uma interpretação do caminho de Jesus e do discípulo (The Just Sufferer: An Interpretation of the Path of Jesus and the Disciple), 1995.
- Reflexões sobre Fé e Política (Reflections on Faith and Politics), 2018.
Images for kids
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Coat of arms of Odilo Pedro Scherer
See also
In Spanish: Odilo Scherer para niños
