Home > Edmund Cardinal Szoka

He was born on in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Casimir, a Polish immigrant, and Mary Szoka. He did his primary studies at St. Michael School in Muskegon. He entered St. Joseph’s Seminary in Grand Rapids and then St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan.

He was ordained a priest on June 5, 1954 in Marquette, Michigan and served as an assistant priest in the parish of St. Francis in Manistique, Michigan. In 1955, he became secretary to Bishop Noa of Marquette. During the period of 1955 and 1962, he also served as chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital. In 1956, he was Roman Catholic chaplain at K. I. Sawyer AFB Michigan.

From 1957 to 1959, he attended the Faculty of canon law at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. Upon returning to the United States, from 1960 until 1971 he served at the matrimonial tribunal of the diocese of Marquette, while at the same time serving as chancellor’s assistant (1962-69), and parish priest (1962-63) of St. Pius X parish in IsphemingIshpeming is a city located in Marquette County, Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,686. This is down from a higher population in the 1950s and 1960s when the iron ore mines were in full operation. Ishpeming Township is on north Lake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of North America's Great Lakes. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area with Lake Baikal in Siberia having more volume. The Caspian Sea is larger, but contains salt water. Lake Superior has a surface are, parish priest of St. Christopher’s (1963-71), then chancellor of the dioceseIn the Roman Empire, a diocese was a city district or part of a province. In the Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop, sometimes also referred to as a bishopric or episcopal see of Marquette. He also accompanied Bishop Noa to the first session of the Second Vatican CouncilThe Second Vatican Council or Vatican II was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. It is not accepted by all who call themselves Catholics. Some attribute to it a les.

On June 11, 1971 he was elected BishopA bishop is an ordained person who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. Bishops in the New Testament The bishop's role is typically called the " episcopacy", because the word "bishop" is derived ultimately from of Gaylord, MichiganGaylord is a city located in Otsego County in the U. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,681. It is the county seat of Otsego County 6. Gaylord is commonly know as the Alpine Village and features many buildings w and was ordained on July 20, 1971. A year later, the Bishops of the 4th pastoral region of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) elected him president for the period of 1972-77. At the same time, he was treasurer and secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Michigan .

On March 21, 1981 he was named Archbishop of Detroit . Since 1981, he also served as president of the Administration Council of the provincial seminary of St. John in Plymouth, Michigan and Sts. CyrilCyril is the name of several historic figures: Saint Cyril "godfather" of Cyrillic 800 A. Saint Cyril of Alexandria Archbishop of Alexandria 412 A. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem Theologian 315-380 A. Cyril of Turaw see the history of Belarus. and Methodius Seminary near Orchard Lake Village, Michigan. He was also a president of the board of directors of the Episcopal Conference of Michigan, member of the executive committee of the Catholic University, president of the Committee for University Relations, Administrator of the National Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception, treasurer of the NCCB, and served on committees within the Conference for: human values, bishops, dioceses and provinces, and economic affairs.

He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of June 28, 1988. His titular church is St. Andrew and St. Gregory at Monte Celio. He was President of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs of the Holy See, January 22, 1990 to October 14, 1997. He became Archbishop emeritus of Detroit, April 28 1990.

On October 14, 1997, Cardinal Szoka was named President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, and on February 22, 2001, President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State. Within the Roman Curia his membership is: Secretariat of State (second section), and Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Bishops, Evangelization of Peoples (Congregatio de Propaganda Fide), Clergy, Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (congregations).

It is believed that the singer Lauryn Hill directed her 2003 deunciation of clerical corruption in part at Cardinal Szoka.