Karl Josef Romer

Karl Josef Romer (born 8 July 1932) is a Swiss-born Roman Catholic prelate and professor, who served as the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family from 2002 to 2007. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil from 1975 until 2022.

Biography Early life, education and priesthood Karl Josef Romer was born in Benken, St. Gallen, Switzerland, in 1932. He began his higher education with philosophy courses in Appenzell from 1950 to 1952. Between 1952 and 1957, he pursued extensive theological studies at several prestigious institutions, including the University of Innsbruck in Austria, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in Germany, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Italy. He taught theology at the Catholic University of Salvador.

Following his ordination, Romer moved to Brazil as a fidei donum priest. He initially served in the Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia before being transferred to the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro.

Roman Curia On 13 April 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed Romer as the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family in the Roman Curia, succeeding Francisco Gil Hellín.

He served in this position until 10 November 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. He was succeeded as Secretary by the Polish prelate Grzegorz Kaszak.