Francisco Robles Ortega

Francisco Robles Ortega (Spanish pronunciation: [fɾanˈsisko ˈro.βles oɾˈteɣa]; born 2 March 1949) is a Mexican prelate of the Catholic Church, a cardinal since 2007 and the current Archbishop of Guadalajara.[1] Cardinal Robles had previously served as archbishop of Monterrey from 2003 to 2011. He is also, as of November 2012, the incoming president-elect of the Roman Catholic Mexican Episcopal (Bishops') Conference, to replace the outgoing president, Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes, the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tlalnepantla.[2]


José Francisco Robles Ortega
Cardinal, Archbishop of Guadalajara
President of the Mexican Episcopal Conference
ProvinceGuadalajara
SeeGuadalajara
Appointed7 December 2011
Installed7 February 2012
PredecessorJuan Sandoval Íñiguez
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Presentazione
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination20 July 1976
by José Maclovio Vásquez Silos
Consecration5 June 1991
by Alfredo Torres Romero
Created cardinal24 November 2007
by Pope Benedict XVI
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
José Francisco Robles Ortega

(1949-03-02) 2 March 1949 (age 75)
Mascota, Mexico
DenominationRoman Catholic
Mottoin simplicitate fidei
Coat of armsJosé Francisco Robles Ortega's coat of arms

Biography

edit

Early life and ordination

edit

Francisco Robles Ortega was born in Mascota, as the third of the sixteen children of Francisco Robles Arreola (b. 1917) and Teresa Ortega de Robles (b. 1927). He studied humanities at the minor seminary in Autlán, philosophy at the seminary in Guadalajara, and theology at the seminary in Zamora.

Robles was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop José Vásquez Silos on 20 July 1976, and then studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome until 1979, obtaining his licentiate in theology. Upon his return to Mexico, he served as vicar general of Autlán and taught philosophy and theology at its seminary. He was made diocesan administrator of Autlán following the death of Bishop Vásquez Silos in July 1990

Bishop

edit

On 30 April 1991, Robles was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Toluca and Titular Bishop of Bossa by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 5 June from Bishop Alfredo Torres Romero, with Bishops José Hernández González and Javier Lozano Barragán serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of Toluca.

Robles was later named diocesan administrator of Toluca following the death of Bishop Torres Romero on 15 October 1995. He finally became Bishop of Toluca on 15 June 1996, and was installed on 15 July of that same year. On 25 January 2003, he was advanced to Archbishop of Monterrey.

Cardinal

edit
Styles of
Francisco Robles Ortega
 
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeGuadalajara

Pope Benedict XVI created him cardinal-priest of Santa Maria della Presentazione in the consistory of 24 November 2007, he took possession of the titular church on 25 October 2008. Cardinal Robles Ortega will be eligible to participate in any future papal conclaves until he reaches the age of eighty on 2 March 2029.

On 5 January 2011 he was appointed among the first members of the newly created Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.[3]

On 7 December 2011 Cardinal Robles was appointed the Archbishop of Guadalajara to replace the retiring Juan Sandoval Íñiguez who had reached the age limit. As a result, the see of Monterrey fell vacant. On 24 November 2012 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.[4]

He was appointed as a member of the Congregation for Bishops on 16 December 2013 for a five-year renewable term.

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that selected Pope Francis.

Views

edit

Drug politics

edit

The archbishop has called on the country's political parties and organizations to take action to avoid infiltration in their ranks by drug traders.[5]

Secularism in education

edit

Cardinal Robles said "we are against the change proposed by the decree to reform Article 3" of the Constitution because it seeks to encourage secularism in private educational institutions, eliminating the subject of religion, which trains young people in moral values.[6]

Poverty and humility

edit

In naming archbishop Francisco Robles of Monterrey as one of 23 new Roman Catholic cardinals, analysts say the Vatican chose a clergyman who advocates for the poor and beseeches the faithful to embrace humility.[7]

Family policy

edit

Cardinal Robles has said that the family is "an institution that is natural, that is the basis of society", and he warned those who oppose a new law that would protect it not to attempt to "supplant such an important institution as the family."[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ RINUNCIA DELL’ARCIVESCOVO DI GUADALAJARA (MESSICO) E NOMINA DEL SUCCESSORE Archived 2 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20121115.htm#head5[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ DI MEMBRI DEL PONTIFICIO CONSIGLIO PER LA PROMOZIONE DELLA NUOVA EVANGELIZZAZIONE Archived 8 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Welcome to nginx". press.catholica.va. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Archbishop of Monterrey calls on political parties to watch out for 'drug politics'". Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  6. ^ Cardinal Robles opposes secularism in Mexican education
  7. ^ "Mexico's newest cardinal champions the poor, preaches humility". Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Family is natural institution and basis of society". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
edit
Catholic Church titles
Titular see established — TITULAR —
Titular Bishop of Bossa
30 April 1991 – 15 June 1996
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Alfredo Torres Romero
Bishop of Toluca
15 June 1996 – 25 January 2003
Succeeded by
Francisco Chavolla Ramos
Preceded by Archbishop of Monterrey
25 January 2003 – 7 December 2011
Succeeded by
Titular church established Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Presentazione
24 November 2007 –
Incumbent
Preceded by Archbishop of Guadalajara
7 December 2011 –
Preceded by President of the Mexican Episcopal Conference
24 November 2012 – 13 November 2018
Succeeded by