Jean-Pierre Ricard

Jean-Pierre Ricard (born 26 September 1944) is a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic church and archbishop of Bordeaux and Bazas. From 2001 to 2007 he was president of the French Episcopal Conference.

Born in Marseille, he is the son of Georges and Jeanine Ricard. He was educated at the Lycée de Saint-Charles and the Lycée Périer, Marseille, and Thiers (bachelor of arts). He entered the Major Seminary of Marseille and there studied philosophy from 1962 to 1964. He spent one year of National Service of Cooperation in Bamako, Mali. He also studied at the Séminare des Carmes, Paris and the Institut Catholique de Paris (degree in theology and habilitation for the doctorate).

He was ordained on 5 October 1968 in Marseille doing pastoral work in the Archdiocese of Marseille from 1968–1993. He was assistant pastor of the parish of Sainte-Émilie de Vialoar 1970–1978 and was in charge of religious teaching, the formation of priests and laymen. He was responsible of the Mistral Center of Religious Culture 1975–1981, and diocesan delegate for seminarians 1975–1985. Pastor of the parish of Sainte-Marguerite 1981–1988, he also served as associate delegate for ecumenism and episcopal vicar for the zone of south Marseille 1984–1988. He was regional theologian for pastoral affairs 1986–1993, and served as general secretary of the Diocesan Synod of Marseille 1988–1991, and as vicar general in the years 1988–1993 to Cardinal Robert Coffy, Archbishop of Marseille.

Ricard was named titular bishop of Pulcheriopoli and appointed auxiliary bishop of Grenoble on 17 April 1993, being consecrated on 6 June 1993 at the cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, Marseille, by Robert Coffy, Cardinal Archbishop of Marseille. In July 1996 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Montpellier, and succeeded in September that year, becoming Bishop of Montpellier. He became Vice-President of the Bishops' Conference (France), on 9 November 1999 and participated in the Tenth Ordinary Assembly of the World Synod of Bishops, held in Vatican City, 30 September–27 October 2001. He was elected President of the Conference of Bishops of France, on 6 November 2001. He was promoted to the metropolitan see of Bordeaux et Bazes, on 21 December 2001. He attended the 11th General Ordinary Assembly of the World Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, 2–23 October 2005.

He was made a Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Agostino in the consistory of 24 March 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI. He was appointed to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the commission whose responsibility it is to address the issue of the Tridentine rite, in April 2006. On 17 January 2009 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture by Pope Benedict. [1]

Like all cardinals, Ricard is a member of various offices of the Roman Curia, and is invited to attend their plenary meetings, which in principle are held every year. Appointments are for five years and are renewable. On 21 January 2010 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and, on 6 July 2010, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. On 12 June 2012 Cardinal Ricard was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that selected Pope Francis.

On 8 March 2014, he was named by Pope Francis to serve as a Cardinal Member of the newly established Council for Economic Affairs, which will oversee the work of the new Secretariat for the Economy, the financial regulatory agency for the departments of the Roman Curia.

Embryonic research

Ricard has opposed use of human embryos for scientific research, saying that it is a grave ethical transgression.

Darfur

Cardinal Ricard has supported efforts to bring peace to the Darfur region of Sudan.

Euthanasia

He has been critical of attempts to legalize euthanasia in France.

Traditional Mass and Lefebvrists

Ricard told the newspaper La Croix that the Pope wants to reconcile all Catholics by allowing a wider use of the Traditional Latin Mass, and does not undermine the achievements of Vatican Council II.