Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
Most Reverend Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo is the metropolitan archbishop of Galveston-Houston and pastor to its 2 million-plus Catholics (and the 7.1 million people within the Archdiocese) and 435 priests in 146 parishes and 54 schools spread over 8,880 square miles. His seats are St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston and the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston.
Born in Steubenville, Ohio, and raised with three siblings in Castle Shannon near Pittsburgh, Cardinal DiNardo attended St. Anne grade school and the Jesuit-run Bishop's Latin school before enrolling in St. Paul Seminary and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He received his master's degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and degrees of Sacred Theology from both the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on July 16, 1977 and served as parish pastor, seminary professor, spiritual director and in the chancery. From 1984 to 1991, he worked in Rome as a staff member for the Congregation for Bishops, as director of Villa Stritch (the house for American clergy), and as adjunct professor at the Pontifical North American College. In 1991 he returned to Pittsburgh, serving as pastor to several parishes and again in the chancery.
He was appointed coadjutor bishop of Sioux City, Iowa and ordained there as a bishop in October 1997. As his Episcopal motto he adopted: Ave Crux Spes Unica, meaning "Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope." He succeeded retiring Bishop Lawrence Donald Soens of Sioux City in November of 1998.
He was named coadjutor bishop (later coadjutor archbishop) of Galveston-Houston in January 2004 and succeeded Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza on February 28, 2006. On June 29, 2006, he received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in November of 2007 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was designated the titular Church of Sant'Eusebio in Rome.
As a member of the Sacred College, he served as a Cardinal-Elector in the Papal Conclave of 2013, which saw the election of Pope Francis to the See of Peter.
In November of the same year, he was elected by his brother bishops as the Vice-President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for a three-year term. Cardinal DiNardo served as President of the USCCB from Nov. 2016 - Nov. 2019.
He was a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, the Pontifical Council for the Economy, and is on the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Born
May 23, 1949 -Steubenville, OH
Parents
Nicholas and Jane (Green) DiNardo
Education
- MA: Catholic University of America
- STB: Pontifical Gregorian University
- STL: Patristic Institute Augustinianum
Date of Ordination
July 16, 1977 - Pittsburgh, PA
Assignments
- 1981: Assistant Chancellor of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Part-time Professor at St. Paul Seminary
- 1984 -1990: Vatican Congregation for Bishops, Rome
- 1986 -1989: Director of the Villa Stritch, Rome
- 1991: Assistant Secretary for Education of the Diocese of Pittsburgh; Co-Administrator of Madonna del Castello Church in Swissvale, PA
- 1994: Founding Pastor of Sts. John and Paul Church in Franklin Park-Marshall Township, PA
Coadjutor Bishop of Sioux City
August 19, 1997
Bishop of Sioux City
- October 7, 1997: Ordained bishop
- November 28, 1998: Became Diocesan Ordinary
Coadjutor Bishop of Galveston-Houston
January 16, 2004: Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston
Coadjutor Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
December 29, 2004
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
February 28, 2006
Cardinal Designate
October 17, 2007: Named Cardinal-Designate
Cardinal
November 24, 2007: Elevated to Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI
Honors
- 1969: Basselin Scholarship for Philosophy, Catholic University of America
- May 23, 1989: Name Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
Other Responsibilities
- President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (Three-year term, Nov. 2016 - Nov. 2019)
- Vice President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (Three-year term, Nov. 2013 - Nov. 2016)
- Member, Committee on Pro-Life Activities (USCCB)
- Member, Committee on Divine Worship (USCCB)
- Member, Committee on National Collections (USCCB)
- Member, Board of Directors, The Sanctuary of Culture Foundation
- Member, Board of Directors, University of St. Thomas - Houston, TX
- Member, Board of Trustees, The Catholic University of America
- Episcopal Moderator, National Catholic Partnership on Disability
- Episcopal Advisor, National Association of Pastoral Musicians
- Member, Bishops Advisory Council, Institute for Priestly Formation
- Knight and Grand Prior, Southern Lieutenancy, Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
- Conventional Chaplain ad honorem and Baliff Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion, Sovereign Military Order of Malta
The Archepiscopal heraldic achievement or Archbishop's coat of arms is composed of a shield with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll and the external ornamentation. The shield, which is the central and most important feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th century terms that are archaic to our modern language, and this description is presented as if given by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, where it applies, the terms dexter and sinister are reversed as the device is viewed from the front.
By heraldic tradition the arms of the Bishop, who is the "first among equals" of an ecclesiastical province, called a "Metropolitan Archbishop," are joined, impaled, with the arms of his jurisdiction. In this case, these are the arms of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
These arms are composed of a blue field on which is displayed a scattering (semé) of silver (white) roses. These roses are used to represent the Blessed Virgin Mary, in her title of the Mystical Rose, titular of the Cathedral-Basilica in the See City of Galveston. Upon this symbolism is a red cross of The Faith, with a square center that contain a single silver star to represent Texas, the "Lone Star State."
For his personal arms, His Eminence, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo continues to use the design that was adopted upon his selection to receive the fullness of Christ's priesthood as a bishop, when he was appointed and ordained as Coadjutor Bishop of Sioux City and which he used as Bishop of Sioux City, Coadjutor Bishop of Galveston-Houston, and Coadjutor Archbishop of Galveston-Houston when the diocese was raised to Archiepiscopal status.
In the Archbishop's design, on a field of green is seen "a fess," which is a bar that traverses the shield from side to side. This fess is composed of alternating blue and silver (white) squares that form the "checkerboard" pattern. This device is taken from the arms of the Diocese of Pittsburgh which His Eminence has had the honor to serve as a priest. The green color of the field recalls the maiden name of Archbishop DiNardo's mother, "Green."
In the lower portion of the design is seen a silver (white) oil jar that is charged with a golden cross. This symbol is used to "cant," that is to "play-on," the Archbishop's surname of DiNardo which means "of the nard," of "of the ointment." The placement of the cross on this container indicates that the oil is holy oil, or Sacred Chrism, which is the oil that is used for the ordination of bishops and priests, and which has had, and will have, such a significant impact on the life of Daniel DiNardo, priest, Bishop, Archbishop, and now Cardinal.
For his motto, His Eminence, Cardinal DiNardo continues to use the phrase, "Ave Crux Spes Unica." This phrase, which is taken from the beginning of the 3rd verse of the Latin hymn Vexilla Regis, by Venantius Fortunatus (d. 609), is translated to express the deep and profound Christian belief that it is the Cross of Christ that is the standard that we must follow, in all that we do, as we live, sing and say "Hail, O Cross, Our Only Hope."
The achievement is completed with the external ornaments which are a gold Archepiscopal processional cross, that has two cross-members, that is placed in back of and which extends above and below the shield.
As a Cardinal, Archbishop DiNardo's shield now has a red galero (wide-brimmed hat) with 15 tassels on each side. The motto and the scutcheon are proper to the individual Cardinal.
- Deacon Paul J. Sullivan