New cardinal recalls ELCA 'moment'

by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service

An 18-member delegation from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) met key leaders March 20-24 at the Vatican to
learn about the Roman Catholic Church and to further
relationships between the two churches. The delegation met with
Archbishop William J. Levada, San Francisco. Levada succeeded
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as prefect of the Congregation of the
Doctrine of the Faith when Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI
last year. Coincidentally during the ELCA delegation's visit,
Levada was one of 15 men who two days later became Roman Catholic
cardinals.

Levada told the ELCA delegation that in April 2005 he was
attending a meeting at the ELCA churchwide office in Chicago. At
the same time the conclave in Rome was electing a new pope. "I
said to my colleagues 'I can't imagine it's going to be anybody I
know,'" Levada said. When it was announced Ratzinger had been
elected, Levada said he knew he had to attend the mass at St.
Peter's Basilica because he had worked with the German cardinal
for some time.

"Subsequently at an audience at which I got to say hello, and
that we're praying for you and so forth, he (Pope Benedict XVI)
informed me that it was his intention to name me his successor
here at the Congregation," Levada said. "Well, I was floored and
tried to reason with him," Levada said with a laugh, "but he
seemed to have made up his mind. And it all started with me at
the ELCA in Chicago."


Archbishop William Levada:
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blevada.html

Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/

Pope Benedict XVI:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/

St. Peter's Basilica:
http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/