Walter Cardinal Kasper, President emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, was born in Germany in 1933. He was ordained priest in 1957. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Theological Faculty of Tübingen. In 1994 he was named co-chair of the International Commission for Lutheran/Catholic Dialogue. Wide respect for his ecumenical work led John Paul II to appoint him President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, a position he held from 2001-2010.
