Giuseppe Versaldi

Giuseppe Versaldi was born in Villarboit, in the province of Vercelli, on 30 July 1943. Ordained a priest on 29 June 1967, he took a degree in psychology and a doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1976 he returned to Vercelli to found the diocesan family counselling centre and promote the family apostolate, later becoming parish priest of Larizzate; from 1980 he taught canon law and psychology at the Gregorian while rising through the Church's judiciary — advocate at the Roman Rota, referendary (1985), voter (1990), and member (2007) of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

Vicar general of Vercelli from 1994, he was appointed Bishop of Alessandria on 4 April 2007 (consecrated 26 May 2007). On 21 September 2011 Benedict XVI named him president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See with the dignity of archbishop, and created him a cardinal on 18 February 2012, with the title of Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio. He voted in the 2013 conclave. On 31 March 2015 Francis appointed him Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education; he led the Church's universities and schools until the congregation was merged into the Dicastery for Culture and Education in June 2022. His motto is Christi Minister — “servant of Christ.”