Justin Rigali
A cardinal who navigated the Vatican's diplomatic corridors before leading major American archdioceses during a period of profound crisis for the Catholic Church.
Born 1935 (age 91)·American Catholic cardinal·Birthday: April 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
Born in Los Angeles in 1935, Justin Rigali's path was set early when he was sent to Rome for priestly formation. His sharp mind and facility with languages landed him a career in the Vatican's diplomatic service, where he became a trusted insider, serving for over two decades in the Secretariat of State. This Roman seasoning made him an unusual choice for American pastoral leadership. Pope John Paul II appointed him Archbishop of St. Louis in 1994, and later to the prestigious and challenging See of Philadelphia in 2003, a promotion swiftly followed by being named a cardinal. His tenure in Philadelphia, however, was dominated by the ongoing fallout from the clergy sexual abuse scandal, including a grand jury investigation. He resigned in 2011, his legacy inextricably linked to the Church's struggle with institutional accountability.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Justin was born in 1935, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Justin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1935
#1 Movie
Mutiny on the Bounty
Best Picture
Mutiny on the Bounty
Justin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1935Born
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1940Started school
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1948Became a teenager
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Could drive
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1953Could vote
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Turned 21
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1965Turned 30
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 40
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 50
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 60
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 70
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 80
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2026Age 91 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served for 22 years in the Vatican's Secretariat of State, holding positions like head of the English section.
- Appointed Archbishop of St. Louis in 1994, where he served for nine years.
- Elevated to Cardinal in 2003 concurrently with his installation as Archbishop of Philadelphia.
- Participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.
- Served as President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy from 1990 to 1994.
Did You Know?
He is fluent in Italian, French, and Spanish in addition to English.
He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1961, at the altar of the Chair of St. Peter in St. Peter's Basilica.
He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.
Before his Vatican posting, he was a parish priest in Southern California for just three years.
“The Church must always proclaim the truth with clarity and charity.”
