Leopoldo Brenes

His Eminence

Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano
Cardinal, Archbishop of Managua
Brenes in 2014
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseManagua
SeeManagua
Appointed1 April 2005
PredecessorMiguel Obando y Bravo
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello
President of Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination16 August 1974
by Miguel Obando y Bravo
Consecration19 March 1988
by Miguel Obando y Bravo
Created cardinal22 February 2014
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born (1949-03-07) 7 March 1949 (age 75)
DenominationRoman Catholic
MottoTu me has enviado
(You have sent me)
Coat of armsLeopoldo José Brenes Solórzano's coat of arms
Ordination history of
Leopoldo Brenes
History
Priestly ordination
Date16 August 1974
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorMiguel Obando Bravo
Co-consecratorsPaolo Giglio
Arturo Rivera Damas
Date19 March 1988
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Francis
Date22 February 2014
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Leopoldo Brenes as principal consecrator
Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, OFM24 June 2005
Silvio José Báez Ortega, OCD30 May 2009
Rolando José Álvares Lagos2 April 2011
Styles of
Leopoldo Jose Brenes Solorzano
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano (Spanish pronunciation: [le.oˈpol.do xoˈse ˈβɾenes soˈloɾsano]; born 7 March 1949) is a Nicaraguan prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Archbishop of Managua since 2005. He was made a cardinal in 2014. He was an auxiliary bishop in Managua from 1988 to 1991 and Bishop of Matagalpa from 1991 to 2005.

Biography

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Leopoldo Brenes was born in Ticuantepe on 7 March 1949 into a poor family, one of four children born to Lilliam Solórzano Aguirre[1] and Leo Leopoldo Brenes Flores. He studied at the Rural School of Ticuantepe, the Cristóbal Rugada School of Masaya, and the Escuela Normal of Managua and then continued his secondary studies at the National Institute of Masaya and at Colegio San José de Calasanz. He then studied philosophy at the National Seminary Nuestra Señora de Fátima of Managua and theology in Mexico at the Superior Institute of Ecclesiastical Studies (ISEE). He earned a bachelor's degree in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and a licentiate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Lateran University. He was ordained a deacon on 13 January 1974.[2]

Priesthood

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He was ordained a priest in Managua on 16 August 1974[3] by Miguel Obando Bravo. He then served in a number of roles, including priest in the parishes of Tisma, Las Brisas, la Asunción, and St. Pius X in Managua, and vicar for pastoral care and substitute vicar general of the Archdiocese of Managua. He was later a parish priest of Sagrada Familia, María Inmaculada, San Pío X, Espíritu Santo and Santa Rosa and San Agustín in Managua, and vicar for pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Managua and episcopal vicar for vocations and ministries.[2]

Bishop and archbishop

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Pope John Paul II named him titular bishop of Maturba and appointed him auxiliary bishop of Managua on 13 February 1988.[4] He was consecrated a bishop on 19 March 1988[3] in the cathedral of Managua by Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo, Archbishop of Managua, assisted by Paolo Giglio, apostolic nuncio to Nicaragua, and Arturo Rivera Damas, Archbishop of San Salvador. His episcopal motto is Tu me has enviado. He was made Bishop of Matagalpa on 2 November 1991[5] and appointed Archbishop of Managua on 1 April 2005, the day before John Paul II's death.[3] He took possession of the see on 21 May.[citation needed] He received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI on 29 June 2005.[6]

In the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua he has been president of the Commission for Vocations and Ministries; secretary general of the Episcopal Conference; president of Cáritas Nacional; president of the Commission for Catechesis; and president of the Commission for Social Communications. He has served as a delegate for the Eucharistic Congresses, delegate to the Special Assembly for Latin America of the Synod of Bishops, delegate to the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), president of the CELAM Commission Family-Life-Youth, and president of the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America (SEDAC). He has been vice-president of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua and its president, became president in 2006.[2][1] He ended a term as president in 2021, when he was elected to a three-year term as vice-president.[7]

Pope Benedict named him to a five-year term as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on 8 October 2009.[8]

Cardinal

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On 22 February 2014, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him the titular church of San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello.[9][10] He was the second Nicaraguan and the third Central American to become a cardinal.[1] On 15 January 2014 Pope Francis confirmed his membership in the Pontifical Commission for Latin America[11] and on 22 May 2014 made him a member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Quién es Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano?" (in Spanish). Info Vaticana. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Mons. Leopoldo José Brenes". Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Rinunce e Nomine, 01.04.2005" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  4. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXX. 1988. p. 231. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  5. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIII. 1991. p. 1090. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  6. ^ "UDIENZA AGLI ARCIVESCOVI METROPOLITI CHE HANNO RICEVUTO IL SACRO PALLIO, 30.06.2005" (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  7. ^ López Marina, Diego (19 November 2021). "Eligen al nuevo presidente del Episcopado de Nicaragua" (in Spanish). ACI Prensa. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 08.10.2009" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  9. ^ Galeazzi, Giacomo (22 February 2014). "19 new cardinals created in Consistory in the presence of two Popes". Vatican Insider. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico per la Creazione dei Nuovi Cardinali: Assegnazione dei Titoli o delle Diaconie ai Nuovi Porporati, 22.02.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 15.01.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 22.05.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Matagalpa
2 November 1991 – 1 April 2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of Managua
1 April 2005–present
Incumbent
Preceded by President of Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua
2014–present
Preceded by Cardinal Priest of San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello
22 February 2014–present