On 01/09/2019 the Holy Father announced the choice of Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald to be created a cardinal together with 12 others at the next consistory, which is due to take place in October this year in Rome.Here are a few notes on Archbishop Michael’s career.
Born 1937 in Walsall (Archdiocese of Birmingham)
Noviciate of the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa) in s’Heerenberg, Netherlands 1956
Theology in Carthage, Tunisia.
Ordained priest in Whetstone, North London 1961
Further studies in Rome (Theology) and London SOAS (Arabic)1961-1968
Lecturer at the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) and at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda 1968-72
Rector of Pontifical Institute of Islamic and Arabic Studies, Rome1972 -78
Parish ministry in New Halfa, Sudan 1978-80
Elected to the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa 1980-86
Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Rome 1987-2002
Ordained Bishop of Nepte (ancient North African diocese) 1992
Made Archbishop 2002
President of the Council for Interreligious Dialogue 2002-2006
Made an Officer of the Legion of Honour 2005
Apostolic Nuncio in Egypt and Delegate to the League of Arab States 2006-2012
Honorary Chaplain of the Order of Malta 2009
Residence at St Anne’s, Jerusalem 2012-18
Awarded Honorary Doctorate by the Australian Catholic University 2014
Awarded Honorary Doctorate by Heythrop College, London 2017
Ministry as part of Missionaries of Africa team in St Vincent’s parish, central Liverpool 2018 to the present
Nomination as Cardinal 01/09/2019