Karl-Josef Rauber

After graduating from St.-Michaels-Gymnasium of Metten Abbey in 1950, Rauber studied Catholic theology and philosophy at the University of Mainz. On 28 February 1959, he was ordained in Mainz Cathedral by Bishop Albert Stohr. He was a chaplain in Nidda and in 1962 earned a doctoral degree in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. At the same time, he attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. At the State Secretariat beginning in 1966, Rauber was one of four secretaries of the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, Archbishop Giovanni Benelli. He was primarily responsible for the German-speaking territories.[1] Pope Paul VI awarded him on 22 December 1976 the title of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness.[2] In 1977 he was Nuntiaturrat in Belgium and Luxembourg and 1981 in Greece.[1]

On 18 December 1982, Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular Archbishop of Iubaltiana and pro-nuncio to Uganda. Pope John Paul II also consecrated him as bishop on 6 January 1983. Co-consecrators were the ex officio in the Vatican Secretariat of State, Eduardo Martínez Somalo and the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy. His motto is "Caritas Christi urget nos" (The love of Christ drives us).

On 22 January 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed Rauber President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, a post he held until 16 March 1993. In 1991, he was assigned to investigate the problems encountered in the Diocese of Chur by Bishop Wolfgang Haas.[1] He returned to the diplomatic service of the Holy See when he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland on 16 March 1993[3] and to Liechtenstein on 17 April 1993.[4] His next appointment was on 25 April 1997 as Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary and Moldova.[5] On 22 February 2003 he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg.[6] When the Church leadership in Rome passed over his recommendation of three candidates for the position of Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and Pope Benedict XVI named André-Joseph Léonard to the position instead, Rauber objected publicly and described Léonard as wholly unsuited for the appointment.[7][8]

Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation for reasons of age in 2009.

On 4 January 2015, Pope Francis announced that he would make him a cardinal on 14 February.[9] At that ceremony, he was created Cardinal-Deacon of the titular church of Sant'Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia.[10]

• Cardinals created by Pope Francis

• "Rauber Card. Karl-Josef". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2017.