Cardinal Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.I., Prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, President emeritus of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commissionwas, born in Manacor, diocese of Mallorca, Spain, on 19 April 1944.

He graduated in law from the University of Madrid in 1966 and entered the Society of Jesus on 17 October 1966.

He completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Comillas Pontifical University, Madrid, and at the Philosophisch-theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen, Frankfurt am Main.

He received priestly ordination on 29 July 1973, and obtained a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1975.

Since 1975, he has served as professor of dogmatic theology at the Comillas Pontifical University of Madrid; since 1984 he has been a professor of dogmatic theology at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University and vice-rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University from 1986 to 1994. He was a member of the International Theological Commission from 1992 to 1997, consulter of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith since 1995, and secretary general of the International Theological Commission since 2004.

On 9 July 2008 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Card. Ladaria Ferrer the Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and made him an Archbishop with the titular see of Thibica. He received episcopal consecration on the 26 July 2008.

On 1 July 2017 he was appointed as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission.

On September 2023 Cardinal Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer has concluded his mandate as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 28 June 2018, of the Diaconate of Sant’Ignazio di Loyola a Campo Marzio.

Member of:

• Dicasteries: for Promoting Christian Unity; for Culture and Education; for the Oriental Churches, for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.