Stanisław Ryłko

Stanisław Ryłko (born July 4, 1945) is a Polish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007.
==Biography==
===Early life and ordination===
Stanisław Ryłko was born in Andrychów to Władysław and Aurelia Ryłko. He has two siblings: a brother, Władysław (d. 2007), and a sister, Jadwiga. He graduated from the Lyceum of Maria Skłodowska-Curie in Andrychów in 1963 before entering the seminary in Kraków, later obtaining his licentiate in moral theology. Ryłko then traveled to Rome to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University, from where he earned his doctorate in social sciences. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła on March 30, 1969, in Wawel Cathedral, and then did pastoral work in Poronin until 1971.
===Pastoral work===
Ryłko served as vice-rector of the Kraków seminary before teaching practical theology the Pontifical Theological Academy of Kraków. He was secretary of the lay apostolate commission of the Polish Episcopal Conference as well. In 1987, he returned to Rome and was charged with the section for the youth of the Pontifical Council for the Laity; during this time, he organized of the World Youth Day of 1989 and of 1991. He was then transferred to the Polish section of the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1992.
===Bishop===
On December 20, 1995, Ryłko was appointed Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and Titular Archbishop of Novica by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on January 6, 1996 from John Paul II, with Archbishops Giovanni Re and Jorge Mejía serving as co-consecrators, in St. Peter's Basilica. As Secretary, Ryłko served as the second-highest official of that dicastery, successively under Eduardo Francisco Pironio and James Stafford.
He was later named President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity on October 4, 2003. Upon the death of John Paul II on April 2, 2005, Ryłko and all major Vatican officials, in accord with custom, automatically lost their positions during the sede vacante. He was then confirmed as President of the Laity by Pope Benedict XVI on the following 21 April.
===Cardinal===
Pope Benedict created him Cardinal Deacon of Sacro Cuore di Cristo Re in the consistory of November 24, 2007. Ryłko remains eligible to participate in any future papal conclaves until his eightieth birthday on July 4, 2025.
On 12 June 2008 in addition to his main duties he was appointed by Benedict as a member of congregations in the Roman Curia . These are: the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Congregation for Bishops and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. 
Besides his native Polish, the Cardinal also speaks Italian, English, and German.
==Views==
===Relations with the secular world===
Cardinal Ryłko has said that the time has come for Christians to free themselves from their false inferiority complex against the so-called secular world, to be courageous disciples of Christ. Cardinal Rylko: Christians would be freed from inferiority complex
===World Youth Day===
Cardinal Ryłko has praised the work of World Youth Day during the meeting in Rome with leaders of this ecclesial event. Cardinal Ryłko praises the work of World Youth Day
==External links==
*Catholic-Pages
*Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
*Catholic-Hierarchy
==References==
Category:1945 births
Category:Polish people
Category:Polish Roman Catholics
Category:Polish cardinals
Category:Living people
Category:Pontifical Council for the Laity
Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI
de:Stanisław Ryłko
fr:Stanisław Ryłko
it:Stanisław Ryłko
la:Stanislaus Rylko
nl:Stanisław Rylko
no:Stanisław Ryłko
pl:Stanisław Ryłko
pt:Stanisław Ryłko
ru:Рылко, Станислав
fi:Stanisław Ryłko