The Prefect

His Eminence Arthur Cardinal Roche was born on 6 March 1950 in Batley Carr, West Yorskire in the diocese of Leeds, England. From 1969 to 1975 he attended the Comillas Pontifical University at St. Alban’s College in Valladolid, Spain, where he received a degree in Sacred Theology. He was ordained priest on 19 July 1975 for the Diocese of Leeds (UK). 

From 1975 to 1978 he was curate at Holy Rood Church in Barnsley. In 1979 he is appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese of Leeds. From 1982 to 1989 he worked at St. Anne’s Cathedral. From August 1986 to 1991 he served as a Financial Administrator of the Diocese of Leeds. From January 1989, for about two years, he was also the parish priest of St. Wilfrid’s Church. From 1991, he followed further studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

From 1992 to March 1996 he was Spiritual Director of the Venerable English College in Rome. In April 1996, he was appointed Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and a Prelate of Honour to His Holiness. On 12 April 2001, Pope St. John Paul II appointed him as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Westminster and titular Bishop of Rusticiana. On 10 May 2001, he was ordained Bishop by Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor. From 2001 to 2002 he served as the chairman of the Pastoral Affairs Commission, the Finance Commission and the Catholic Children’s Society of the Archdiocese of Westminster. On 16 July 2002, he became a Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Leeds and was also appointed President of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). On 7 April 2004, he was appointed as the Bishop of Leeds and the Chairman of the "Department of Christian Life and Worship" of the Conference of Bishops of England and Wales. He was a member of the CBCEW Standing Committee and one of the three bishops in charge of the Venerable English College, Rome, the Royal College of Saint Alban, Valladolid, Spain, and the Pontifical Bede College, Rome.

On 26 June, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, elevating him at the same time to the dignity of Archbishop. On 27 May 2021, Pope Francis appointed him as Prefect of the same Dicastery.

On 29 May 2022, the Holy Father announced his creation as a Cardinal of Holy Roman Church which took place at the Consistory held on 27 August of the same year. On that occasion, the Pope created him Cardinal deacon of Titular Church of Saint Saba.