Cardinal Giuseppe
Casoria, Prefect emeritus of the Congregation of Divine Worship and
Discipline of the Sacraments, was born on 1 October 1908 in Acerra,
province of Naples, Italy. After spending his childhood in his native
city, he attended the course in sacred theology at the Pontifical
Theological Faculty of Southern Italy, the Pontifical Campano
Seminary run by the Jesuits in Posillipo.
In 1930 he received a degree in sacred theology and was ordained a
priest on 21 December 1930.
In 1932 he earned a degree in philosophy from the Pontifical Lateran
University, and a degree, in Utroque Iure, from the Pontifical Juridical
Institute of S. Apollinaris in Rome.
In 1937, he was called to Rome as an official of the Sacred Congregation
for the Discipline of the Sacraments where in each of the
responsibilities that were progressively entrusted to him - right up to
the highest position of directive responsibility: under-secretary
(1959), secretary (1969), archbishop pro-prefect (1981) and then
cardinal prefect (1983).
In 1934, he received a diploma in canonical administrative practice in
the Studium of the Sacred Congregation of the Council (now known as the
Congregation for the Clergy), the diploma as advocate of the Sacred
Roman Rota and the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (1938)
and a degree in political sciences (1953) from the State University of
Rome.
Already defender of the bond in the Sacred Roman Rota since 1939, in the
Ecclesiastical tribunal of the conciliar region of Campania since 1941,
and advocate of the Sacred Congregation of Rites for the Causes of
Saints since 1949, he was promoted in 1956 to judge of the Tribunal of
Appeals of the Vicariate of Rome and prelate referendario of the
Apostolic Signatura, the defender of the bond and commissioner for
marriage cases at the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches in
1957.
Two years later he was appointed consultor of the same dicastery and
then in 1961 also of the Sacred Congregation of the Council, and in
1962, voting prelate of the Apostolic Signatura. The Sacred Congregation
of the Holy Office, later called the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith had him as a commissioner for marriage cases (1954),
qualificatore (1964), peritus and judge (1966).
During the Second Vatican Council, he offered his work as a peritus
of the preparatory commission for the discipline of the sacraments and
subsequently of scrutator and peritus of the Council.
On 6 January 1972, appointed titular bishop of Vescovio and ordained on
13th February. On 26 February 1973, nominated secretary for the Sacred
Congregation for the Causes of Saints. On 25 August 1981 nominated
pro-prefect of Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship and
then prefect, following promotion to Cardinal in 1983.
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the Consistory of
2 February 1983, of the Title of S. Giuseppe in Via Trionfale (St. Joseph in via Trionfale),
deaconry elevated pro illa vice to presbyteral title.
Cardinal Giuseppe Casoria died on 8 February 2001. |
