Background
He was born on 29 April 1928 in the town of Beveren-Leie (now a part of Waregem) in the province of West Flanders.
bishop theologian Catholic priest
He was born on 29 April 1928 in the town of Beveren-Leie (now a part of Waregem) in the province of West Flanders.
From 1953 to 1956 he studied canon law at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium and from 1962 to 1963 at The Catholic University of America in Washington District of Columbia.
Assistant professor canon law, Catholic U., Leuven, 1955-1962;
rector I.H.M. Seminary, Catholic U. American, Washington, 1963-1966;
secretary general, Congregation Immaculate Heart Mary, Rome, 1967-1972;
attaché, International Orgns. Sections State, Vatican City, 1972-1980;
vice president, Pontifical Committee Justice and Peace, 1980-1985;
secretary general, World Synod Bishops, since 1985. Member pontifical committee Catechism Catholic Church, 1986-1992.
President labor officeApostolic See, Vatican, since 1989. Counsellor pontifical committee Latin American,1989-. Member Congregation Bishops, since 1985.
Member joint working group Holy See-WCC, since 1983. Member Interdisciplinary Committee Universal Catechism, since 1992. Member Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples, since 1995.
TitularBishop Silli, 1984. Archbishop, 1985; made Cardinal, 1994. Member Supreme Tribunal Apostolic Signatura, since 1997, Supreme Court Appeal of Vatican City State, since 1998.
Had he survived Pope John Paul II, who delivered the homily at his funeral – the last while John Paul was alive -, Cardinal Schotte would, as the senior member of the order of Cardinal Deacons under the age of 80, have made the announcement of the next Pope"s election.