Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino
| Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal-Archbishop of San Cristobal de la Habana | |
| Appointed | 21 November 1981 |
| Predecessor | Francisco Ricardo Oves Fernández |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Aquila e Priscilla |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 2 August 1964 by José Maximino Eusebio Domínguez y Rodríguez |
| Consecration | 14 January 1979 by Mario Tagliaferri |
| Created Cardinal | 26 November 1994 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino |
| Born | 18 October 1936 Jagüey Grande, Cuba |
| Nationality | Cuban |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Styles of Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | San Cristobal de la Habana |
Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino (born October 18, 1936 in Jagüey Grande, Matanzas, Cuba) is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Havana and a Latin Rite Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the second Cuban elevated to Cardinal.
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[edit] Early life and ordination
He studied for priesthood at the Seminary of San Alberto Magno in Matanzas and in the Seminary of the Fathers of Foreign Missions in Quebec, Canada. He was ordained a priest on August 2, 1964 by Bishop Jose Maximino Dominguez-Rodriguez of Matanzas. He was assigned to various parishes in the Diocese of Matanzas from 1964 to 1966. He was imprisoned by the Communist government from 1966 to 1967. From 1967 to 1978 he resumed his work in the Diocese of Matanzas and was a professor at the San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary in Havana.
[edit] Bishop
On December 4, 1978, Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of the Diocese of Pinar del Rio. He was consecrated bishop on January 14, 1979 by Mons. Mario Tagliaferri, Titular Archbishop of Formia, Pro-Nuncio in Cuba and assisted by Mons. Francisco Oves-Fernandez, Archbishop of Havana and Mons. Domínguez-Rodríguez, Bishop of Matanzas. He was later promoted to Archbishop of Havana in 1981. He was proclaimed Cardinal-Priest of Santi Aquila e Priscilla on November 26, 1994 and was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.
[edit] Awards
In 2004, the Humanitarian Institution of Merit in Barcelona, Spain awarded him with the "Gran Cruz al Mérito Humanitario." He has been given an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Saint Thomas, Barry University, University of San Francisco, Providence College, Boston College and St. John's University.
[edit] Views
Ortega y Alamino has been critical of both capitalism and communism. Like John Paul II, he has urged his nation not to construct a post-communist future on the basis of hyper-capitalist principles. In 1998, he warned of the insidious influence in Cuba of a "species of American subculture that invades everything: It is a fashion, a conception of life."[1] In September 1993 the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops, headed by Cardenal Ortega, published the message "El amor todo lo espera" (Love endures all things), extremely critical of the Cuban Communist government and asking for a new direction of the country. In April 2010 he said that Cuba was in crisis.[2]
[edit] Political activism
Ortega y Alamino is the head of the Cuban bishops' conference.[3] On May 20, 2010, Archbishop Dionisio Guillermo García Ibáñez and Cardinal Ortega met with Cuban President Raúl Castro to discuss issues concerning jailed political dissidents.[3][4][5] While the rare four hour meeting was potentially seen as being hopeful, Ortega y Alamino said that there "will be a process and this process has to start with small steps and these steps will be made."[3] While the Curia has called for meetings and concessions on these issues before, press conferences to discuss high level meetings like this had not been done so quickly thereafter.[3][4][5]
[edit] Succession
| Preceded by Francisco Oves-Fernandez |
Archbishop of Havana 21 November 1981–incumbent |
Succeeded by incumbent |
[edit] Sources
- Emil Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino at Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved on 2010-02-10..
- Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana at Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved on 2010-04-13..
[edit] References
- The Miami Herald, April 13, 2005, From Enemy to Possible Pope
- ^ Allen, John L., Jr. (2005?). "Who Will Be the Next Pope? These candidates have possibilties". National Catholic Reporter. http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/update/conclave/top_candidates.htm. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
- ^ "Cuba's Cardinal Jaime Ortega says country is in crisis". BBC News. April 19, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8631210.stm. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "BBC News - Cuba's Castro meets Catholic Church leaders". BBC Online. May 20, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/latin_america/10134050.stm. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ a b "Cuban cardinal wants political prisoners freed - Focus on Cuba- msnbc.com". MSN. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37257154. Retrieved 24 May 2010.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Cuban president meets with church leader". The San Diego Union-Tribune. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/may/20/cuban-president-meets-with-church-leader/. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
[edit] External links
- Havana puts on New Face for Pope by Phillip True, Express News, January 21, 1998
