Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, Metropolitan Archbishop of São Paulo (Brazil), was born on 21 September 1949 in São Francisco, Cerro Largo, Brazil. He was ordained a priest on 7 December 1976 and holds a doctorate in theology and master in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

He served as rector and professor at São José Minor Seminary in Cascavel and of the Seminary Maria Mãe of Igreja in Toledo. He was also rector of the Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe seminary and philosophy professor at the interdiocesan theology centre.

He has served as parochial vicar, parish priest and official of the Congregation for Bishops (1994-2001).

He was appointed titular Bishop of Novi and Auxiliary of São Paulo on 28 November 2001 and was ordained a bishop on 2 February 2002.

In May 2003 he was elected general secretary of the Nationsl Bishops’ Conference of Brazil. On 12 December 2006 the Pope appointed him adjunct general secretary of the Fifth General Conference of the Latin American Bishops.

He succeeded Cardinal Hummes as Archbishop of São Paulo on 21 March 2007.

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). He participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization and in the XIV Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World (October 2015).

He was a Member of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

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

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 November 2007, of the Title of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale (St. Andrew at Quirinale).

Member of:

• Congregations: for the Clergy; for Catholic Education;
• Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization;
• Pontifical Commission for America Latina.
• Cardinal Commission for the Supervision of the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR).