Cepé, Crescenzio

Born Crescenzio Cepe on June 2, 1943 , in Carinaro , in the province of Caserta , in the region of Campania .

He graduated from the seminary of Aversa, Aversa (secondary and gymnasium education), the Pontifical regional seminary of Salerno, Salerno ( philosophy ) and the Pontifical main Roman seminary, Rome ( theology ), as well as the Pontifical Lateran University , Rome ( doctoral studies in theology and license in canon law ) University of La Sapienza , Rome (doctorate in philosophy), Pontifical Church Academy , Rome ( diplomacy ). Transferred to the Avers diocese .

On March 12, 1967, Crescenzio Cepe was ordained for the Avers diocese. Ordination held in Obverse, Antonio Cheche - Bishop of Obversa. Continuing education in Rome . Associate Professor of Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, in charge of dogmatic theology , at the same university; published several works on theology. He entered the Vatican's diplomatic service in 1972 . Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Brazil from 1972 to 1975 . Drafted to the State Secretariat of His Holiness Giovanni Benelli - titular archbishop Tuzuro, Deputy State Secretary of His Holiness, first worked in the international section, especially in charge of international organizations and in the information and documentation service; later at Informazione e Documentazione . Expert in General Affairs of the State Secretariat of His Holiness in 1987 - 1992 . Honorary Prelate of His Holiness since October 10, 1987 . He was also chairman of the Vatican Telecommunications Commission.

On April 2, 1992, he was elected titular Archbishop of Grado and appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy . Hirotonisan April 26, 1992 , in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica , the ordination was conducted by Pope John Paul II , who was assisted by Cardinal Frantisek Maharsky - Archbishop of Krakow and Cardinal Angelo Sodano - Secretary of State of the Holy See .

On November 3, 1997, he was named Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Great Jubilee of 2000 . He was chairman of the Peregrinatio ad Petri Sedem from November 8, 1997 to July 25, 2001 . On April 9, 2001, he was named Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples . He is also Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urban University . Created and declared cardinal deacon with the titular diaconia Dio Padre Mizericordiosio by Pope John Paul II at the Consistory of February 21, 2001 . He was one of the electoral cardinals who participated in the 2005 Pontifical Conclave , who elected Pope Benedict XVI .

Member of the Curiosities:

• Congregations for the affairs of the clergy , doctrines of faith ;
• Papal Councils for mass communications , for inter-religious dialogue , for the promotion of Christian unity , for the interpretation of legislative texts ;
• Papal Commission for Latin America ;
• Special Council for Asia General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

He was appointed archbishop of Naples and his rank of cardinal deacon was raised pro hac vice to the cardinal priest on May 20, 2006 (it was too early for him to be elected for the degree of cardinal priests, so you can only become a cardinal priest after ten years of stay in the dignity of Cardinal Deacon).

Many of his memorable statements appeared from 1995 to 1997 and sparked controversy with the idea of ​​ending celibacy of the clergy . In 1995, he helped implement a program for the distribution of priests among dioceses around the world to help offset geographic imbalances in vocations. He criticized the media in 1995 for focusing too much time on scandals involving sexual harassment of priests and ignoring much of the good work that most clergy do. In the same year, he further said that the Vatican would facilitate the return of hundreds of priests who left active service and married in civil ceremonies, but who were now divorced or widowed and “ sincerely sorry ” for being rejected from their calling. In 1997, he said that weakening the rules of celibacy for priests of the Latin rite would not weaken the crisis of vocations and would have no theological or pastoral foundation. Associated with his post, he is also active in evangelistic efforts.

Cardinal Sepe’s transfer to the Neapolitan pulpit from the post of prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples made him the first head of the Roman diocaster for decades to be sent to the diocese and, in the eyes of some, the first loss of purge of Pope Benedict XVI of the church administration, which is expected to gain speed after September 2006

As an archbishop in 2007, he turned to “the youth of the Italian capital of murders to sheathe [their] courage and transfer their knives to the church, anonymously and without penalty .” ^[1] .

• The great officer of the Order of Merit for the Italian Republic (November 19, 1988) ^[2] .
• Balls of the Great Cross of Honor and Devotion to the Order of Malta
• Cavalier of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit ( Portugal , December 21, 1990) ^[3] .
• Order of Friendship (Armenia)

In addition to his native Italian , he speaks English , French and Spanish .

• Biography on the Website of the Church in Naples (Italian)