John Patrick Foley

] with a dissertation on "Natural Law, Natural Right and the Warren Court". He served as assistant editor and Rome correspondent for the archdiocesan newspaper, [http://www.cst-phl.com/ The Catholic Standard & Times] . From 1970 to 1984 he was the newspaper's editor, and in 1976 he became a Monsignor.

On April 5, 1984, Foley was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and Titular Archbishop of "Neapolis in Proconsulari" by the late Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 8 from Cardinal Krol, with Bishops Martin Lohmuller and Thomas Welsh serving as co-consecrators. During his tenure, the Archbishop once sparked outrage in the homosexual community by describing the AIDS pandemic as a "natural sanction for certain types of activities" [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,147603,00.html "I Come as a Pilgrim"] June 24, 2001] . He also defended the Church's exclusively male priesthood, once saying, "Jesus clearly did not ordain women to the priesthood, nor did he authorize the Church to do so" [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959873-4,00.html Women: Second-Class Citizens?] February 4, 1985] . Upon the death of John Paul II on April 2, 2005, Foley and all major Vatican officials, in accord with custom, automatically lost their positions during the "sede vacante". He was later confirmed as the Council's president by Pope Benedict XVI on April 21 of that same year.

Pope Benedict XVI named him as Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre on June 27, 2007, replacing the retiring Cardinal Carlo Furno. The Grand Masters of the two Orders are thus Papal Viceroys who provide Vatican diplomacy with procedural support for making motions, proposing Amendments and requiring votes in the sphere of international diplomacy.

Foley, as the Council's president, was the longest-serving head of a Curial dicastery until receiving this appointment; Archbishop Claudio Celli, former Secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, was appointed as his successor.

The Archbishop has sat on various organizations, including the National Conference of Christians and Jews, [http://www.catholicpress.org/ Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada] , [http://www.ethics.state.pa.us/ethics/site/default.asp Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission] , and National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

On October 17, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would make Foley a Cardinal. Foley was elevated to the College of Cardinals in the consistory at St. Peter's Basilica on November 24, 2007. [cite press release| title = Annuncio di Concistorio per la Creazione di nuovi Cardinali|publisher =Holy See Press Office| date =2007-10-17| url =http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/20898.php?index=20898&po_date=17.10.2007&lang=en| accessdate =2007-10-17|language=Italian ] Cardinal Foley was named the Cardinal-Deacon of "San Sebastiano al Palatino". [cite web | url=http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2007/11/hats-and-titles.html | title=Hats and Titles | work=Whispers in the Loggia | author=Rocco Palmo | date=November 24, 2007 | accessdate=2007-11-24 ]

On 12 June 2008 in addition to his duties he was appointed by Benedict as a member of congregations in the Roman Curia [http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/22278.php?index=22278&lang=en] . These are: the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Trivia

*Foley would rise at 6:00 a.m. to watch CNN, in order to "know what to pray about" [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974614,00.html History As It Happens] January 6, 1992] .
*Foley was the English liaison for Pope John Paul II's 1979 visit to the United States [Whispers in the Loggia. [http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html Seeing Red. Finally.] June 27, 2007] .
*He is a teetotaler [Ibid.] and self-described chocoholic [Catholic News Service. [http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0703628.htm 'Chocoholic' archbishop talks to Nestle execs about advertising] June 25, 2007] .
*He was awarded honorary degrees by St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia (1985); the Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales (1990); The Catholic University of America, Washington, (1996); Assumption College, Worcester, (1997); Regis University, Denver, (1998); John Cabot University, Rome, 1998; University of Portland, 2007.
*He was made Commander Grand Cross, Order of the Northern Star, Kingdom of Sweden (1991); knight commander with circle of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (1991); commander with grand cross in the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins of the Republic of Chile (1996); commander with grand cross in the Order of Libertador General San Martin of the Republic of Argentina (2003).

References

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bfoley.html Catholic-Hierarchy]
* [http://www.themass.org/people/foley.htm www.themass.org/people/foley.htm]
* [http://www.catholic-pages.com/hierarchy/cardinals_bio.asp?ref=258 Cardinal Foley bio]