XVI named Scherer as the seventh Archbishop of São Paulo on 21 March 2007. He replaced Cardinal Hummes, who was made Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. His appointment brought an end to almost four decades of Franciscan leadership of the archdiocese; before Hummes, Paulo Evaristo Arns led the diocese for 28 years. Scherer accompanied Pope Benedict for a great part of his visit to Brazil in May 2007, which was largely held in the former's see of São Paulo, and he delivered a speech during a ceremony to celebrate the Pope's arrival. On 17 October 2007, the Pope announced that he would make Scherer a Cardinal. Scherer was elevated to the College of Cardinals in the consistory at St. Peter's Basilica on 24 November 2007, becoming Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale. On 12 June 2008, he was appointed by Benedict as a member of the Congregation for the Clergy. On 5 January 2011, he was appointed among the first members of the newly created Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation. On 30 November 2013, he was named a Member of the Congregation for Catholic Education by Pope Francis. Coronavirus pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cardinal Scherer as Archbishop of São Paulo defended that churches remain open, but with a greater number of liturgical celebrations per day, in an attempt to prevent large gatherings. Later, he declared the suspension of celebrations with the people. Views General outlook Scherer is considered to be theologically moderate. He is one of just a handful of cardinals that use modern social media routinely. Evangelization According to a 23 July 2010, article by the website of the Catholic Zenit News Agency, Cardinal Scherer thinks there is an "evangelization deficit" around the globe today, which is why Pope Benedict established a new division of the Roman Curia to deal with that issue. Cardinal Scherer was quoted in the article as saying that the Pope "brings all to understand that this [new evangelization] is an objective of his, and that it must be the attitude of the Church worldwide, to respond to the challenges launched by the present 'change of age in the history of humanity.'" Abortion Cardinal Scherer asked Brazilians that if the country's Supreme Court legalizes abortion for fetus' with anencephaly, what will be the next group ‘incompatible with life’ to be eliminated? Liberation theology He once criticized liberation theology's use