Cardinal Franc Rodé, C.M., Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Archbishop emeritus of Ljubljana, was born on 23 September 1934 in Jarše, Ljubljana (Slovenia). He was ordained a priest on 29 June 1960 for the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and holds a degree in theology.

Cardinal Rodé began his service in parish ministry and then began teaching at the faculty of theology in Ljubljana. His positions on church-state relations, his belief in a school system respectful of Christian values and his attack on communism kept him under surveillance by the secret police. During these years, he regularly published articles in Catholic magazines.

In 1981 he was appointed undersecretary and later secretary of the Holy See’s Secretariat for Non-Believers. When the dicastery was closed, Cardinal Rodé became Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

On 5 March 1997 he was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Ljubljana and was president of the Bishops’s Conference. He received episcopal ordination on 6 April 1997.

On 11 February 2004 he was appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, 4 January 2011.

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 San Francesco Saverio alla Garbatella (St. Francis Xavier at Garbatella), Diaconry elevated pro hac vice to presbyteral title.