José Policarpo
| José Policarpo | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Lisbon | |
| Appointed | 5 March 1997 (Coadjutor Patriarch) |
| Enthroned | 24 March 1998 |
| Predecessor | António Ribeiro |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of S. Antonio in Campo Marzio |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 15 August 1961 by Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira |
| Consecration | 29 June 1978 by António Ribeiro |
| Created Cardinal | 21 February 2001 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | José da Cruz Policarpo |
| Born | 26 February 1936 Alvorninha, Portugal |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | per obedientiam ad libertatem |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of José da Cruz Policarpo |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Lisbon |
José da Cruz Policarpo, referred to in Portuguese as Dom José IV da Cruz Policarpo, is the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon in the Roman Catholic Church. Policarpo holds a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
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[edit] Early life
He was born on 26 February 1936 in Alvorninha, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, the first of nine children of José Policarpo, Jr. (Caldas da Rainha, Alvorninha, Lugar do Pego, 18 April 1902 – Lisbon, Odivelas, 20 October 1987) and wife (m. Caldas da Rainha, Alvorninha, 26 January 1935) Maria Gertrudes Rosa (Alcobaça, Benedita, 17 October 1909 – Caldas da Rainha, Alvorninha, 6 September 1994), and ordained a priest on 15 August 1961 in Lisbon by Manuel Cardinal Cerejeira. He is the oldest of nine children: José da Cruz, Maria do Céu (b. 1939), Maria Adélia (b. 1942), Aníbal, Joaquim, António, Maria da Graça, Maria Edite (b. 1947) and Fernando (b. 1952).
[edit] Early career
Policarpo was director of the seminary in Penafirme, rector of the seminary in Olivais and dean of the Theological Faculty of the Portuguese Catholic University. He later served two terms as rector of the same university (1988–96) and is the author of a number of books and scholarly articles.
[edit] Appointed bishop
On 26 May 1978 Policarpo was appointed titular bishop of Caliabria and auxiliary bishop of Lisbon, receiving episcopal ordination on 29 June. On 5 March 1997 he was appointed Coadjuctor Archbishop of Lisbon and succeeded Cardinal António Ribeiro as Patriarch on 24 March 1998. Cardinal Policarpo is also Grand Chancellor of the Portuguese Catholic University and he was President of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference.
[edit] Cardinalate
He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, as Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Antonio in Campo Marzio (St. Anthony in the Field of Mars). Cardinal da Cruz Policarpo is a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Pontifical Council for the Laity, and Pontifical Council for Culture in the Roman Curia.
Upon the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005, Policarpo was considered to be papabile - a possible successor to the papacy. On 11 April 2005, British newspaper The Guardian considered him to be "a dark-horse candidate for pope, capable of bridging the divide between the Europeans and the Latin American Roman Catholic cardinals". The 2005 papal conclave, in which he participated as a cardinal elector, ultimately elected Pope Benedict XVI.
[edit] Controversies
[edit] Pro-choice politicians
His refusal to excommunicate those who called themselves Catholics and who openly supported legalization of abortion was also criticized by many pro-life Catholics for being one the main reasons of the legalization of abortion in Portugal, in 2007. However, he didn't openly deny the right to the Portuguese Roman Catholic priests to refuse them communion, which many in fact did.[1] Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva who chose not to veto the law that legalized abortion in Portugal is a Roman Catholic, but he was never openly criticized by José Policarpo for his attitude.
[edit] Marriages with Muslim men
On 14 January 2009, the cardinal directed a warning to young women to "think twice" before marrying Muslim men: Christians should learn more about Islam and respect Muslims, but marrying a Muslim man is getting into a lot of trouble, that not even Allah knows where it would end, if the couple moved to an Islamic country.[2][3][4] He also said that dialogue "with our Muslim brothers" is difficult, because it is possible to dialogue only with those who want to have dialogue.[2] Human rights group Amnesty International criticized Policarpo for inciting "discrimination" and "intolerance", and a representative of the Muslim community in Portugal said they were hurt and surprised by his words, but remarked that his words could be interpreted as a call to respect differences and get to know the other religion.[5] A spokesman for the Portuguese Episcopal Conference said the cardinal had offered "realistic advice" rather than "discrimination" or "contempt for another culture or religion".[3]
[edit] Ordination of women
Cardinal da Cruz Policarpo in June 2011 stated in a magazine interview that, while there is no fundamental theological obstacle to ordination of women, there is, in fact, an obstacle regarding the strong tradition dating from Jesus. There will certainly be no change in our lifetime, he said, and so the question ought not to be raised - it provokes many reactions.[6][7] Nearly two weeks after giving the interview, he was forced to issue a clarification of his comments, in which he unequivocally reaffirmed the teaching of Pope John Paul II in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis.[8]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b Portugal cardinal warns of marriage with Muslims (Reuters, 14 January 2009)
- ^ a b (Der Spiegel, 15 January 2009)
- ^ Portuguese Church: 'Think twice about marrying Muslims' (Daily Mail, 15 January 2009)
- ^ Controversy over Christian-Muslim marriages in Portugal (Trend, Azerbaijan, 15 January 2009)
- ^ "Não foi por acaso que Jesus escolheu para apóstolos homens e deu às mulheres outro tipo de atenção [...] teológicamente não há nenhum obstáculo fundamental [...] O problema põe-se noutra ótica, numa forte tradição, que vem desde Jesus [...] Não é com certeza para a nossa vida, hoje então, no momento que estamos a viver, é um daqueles problemas que é melhor não levantar...suscita uma série de reações" (Text of the interview, in Portugese).
- ^ The Patriarch of Lisbon: "There are no theological reasons for excluding women from the priesthood" (La Stampa, June 25 2011)
- ^ Statement from the Patriarchate of Lisbon
| Preceded by António Ribeiro |
Patriarch of Lisbon 1998–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
- 1936 births
- 20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops
- 21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops
- Portuguese cardinals
- Portuguese Roman Catholics
- Church patriarchs
- Alumni of the Pontifical Gregorian University
- Portuguese people
- Religion in Lisbon
- Living people
- Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II
- Members of the Pontifical Council for Culture
- People from Leiria District
