Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President emeritus of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission, President emeritus of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", was born on 15 June 1936 in Long Beach, California. He was ordained a priest on 20 December 1961 and holds a degree in sacred theology.

After five years of pastoral ministry in Los Angeles, he was appointed as an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1976.

On 25 March 1983 he was appointed titular Bishop of Capri and Auxiliary of Los Angeles. He received episcopal ordination on 12 May of the same year.

On 1 July 1986 he was appointed Archbishop of Portland, and from 1986-93 he belonged to the editorial committee of the Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

On 17 August 1995 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of San Francisco and was named as the Archbishop of San Francisco on 27 December of that year.

In 2000, he was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

On 13 May 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Levada as his successor as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He is also president of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission.

On 24 June 2008 he was appointed President Delegate of the XII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church” (5-26 October 2008).

On 8 July 2009, he was nominated President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President emeritus of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission, President emeritus of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, 2 July 2012.

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

Created and proclaimed cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 March 2006, of the Title of Santa Maria in Domnica (St. Mary in Domnica), Deaconry elevated pro hac vice to Presbyteral title.

Cardinal William Joseph Levada dead on 26 September 2019.