Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, Prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, was born on 24 April 1947 in Mafra, Brazil. 

He was ordained a priest on 26 November 1972 for the Diocese of Apucurana. He holds a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University and doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Lateran University.

On 6 April 1994, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Flenucleta and Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Vitória. He received episcopal ordination on 31 May 1994.

On 12 August 1998, he transferred to Ponta Grossa and on 17 July 2002 he was elevated Archbishop of Maringá.

On 28 January 2004, he was appointed Archbishop of Brasília, where in 2010 he organized the XVI National Eucharistic Congress.

He was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on 4 January 2011.

He participated in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.

He was created and proclaimed cardinal by Benedict XVI in the Consistory of 18 February 2012, and was assigned the titular church Sant’Elena fuori Porta Prenestina. He was elevated pro hac vice from cardinal deacon to cardinal priest on 4 March 2022.

Member of:

·     Dicasteries: for the Clergy; for Bishops; for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.