Manuel Monteiro de Castro

Manuel Monteiro de Castro (born 29 March 1938) is a Portuguese prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1967 to 2009, with the rank of archbishop and the title of nuncio from 1985[1]. His assignments as nuncio included the Caribbean, South Africa, Central America, and Spain. He ended his career in senior positions in the Roman Curia from 2009 to 2013. He was made a cardinal in 2012[1].

His Eminence Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Major Penitentiary emeritus of the Apostolic Penitentiary
Appointed	5 January 2012
Term ended	21 September 2013
Predecessor	Fortunato Baldelli
Successor	Mauro Piacenza
Other posts	Cardinal-Deacon of San Domenico di Guzman
Orders
Ordination	9 July 1961
Consecration	23 March 1985 by Agostino Casaroli
Created cardinal	18 February 2012 by Benedict XVI
Rank	Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Birth name	Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Born	(1938-03-29) 29 March 1938 Santa Eufémia de Prazins, Guimarães, Portugal
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio or Delegate to Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda (1985–1990) Apostolic Nuncio to Honduras (1990–1991) Apostolic Nuncio to El Salvador (1990–1991) Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, and Lesotho (1998–2000) Apostolic Nuncio to Spain and Andorra (2000–2009) Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops (2009–2012)
Motto	mane nobiscum domine
Coat of arms

Styles of Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal

Early years

Monteiro de Castro was born on 29 March 1938 in Santa Eufémia de Prazins, Guimarães, Portugal.[2] He studied humanities, philosophy and theology in the Archdiocese of Braga[3]. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop António Bento Júnior on 9 July 1961. He then studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning a doctorate in canon law in June 1967. He also trained for a career as a diplomat at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.[4] In February 1969, he became an advocate in the Sacred Roman Rota.

Diplomat

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1967. He was created Chaplain of His Holiness on 1 July 1968. He served as secretary of the nunciatures in Panama from 1967 to 1969, Guatemala from 1969 until 1972, Việt Nam and Cambodia from 1972 until 1975, Australia from 1975 to 1978, and Mexico from 1978 to June 1981. He was upgraded to prelate of honour of His Holiness on 1 July 1981. He then worked in the Second Section of the Secretariat of State from June to November 1981. He was counselor of the nunciature in Belgium from the end of 1981 until 1985.

On 16 February 1985, Pope John Paul II appointed him titular archbishop of Beneventum; Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago; and Apostolic Delegate to the other territories in the Antilles.[5] His title change to Apostolic Nuncio to Granada on 30 April.[6] He was consecrated a bishop by Cardinal Secretary of State Agostino Casaroli.[7] .He became in addition Apostolic Nuncio to Antigua and Barbuda on 25 April 1987.[8]

He was named Apostolic Nuncio to both Honduras and El Salvador on 21 August 1990,[9] but was replaced in Honduras by Luigi Conti on 12 April 1991.[10]

In 1998, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Namibia, and Swaziland on 2 February[11] and Apostolic Nuncio to Lesotho on 7 March.[12]

On 1 March 2000, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Spain and Andorra.[13] He met with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero to reduce tension between the Spanish government and the Church. Addressing a conference of Spanish bishops in 2004, he proposed they support the legal recognition of same-sex relationships called something other than "marriages". He said: "The new political situation in which we are living in Spain sets new challenges in the spreading of the gospel and we must meet those challenges in an appropriate manner.... There are other forms of cohabitation and it is good that they be recognised."[14]

On 7 December 2007, he was given the added role of Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).[15]

Roman Curia

On 3 July 2009, Pope Benedict ended his diplomatic career by appointing him Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.[16] He was given additional responsibility as Secretary of the College of Cardinals on 21 October 2009.[17] He was named a consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on 19 November 2009.[18]

On 5 January 2012, Monteiro de Castro was appointed Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary.[19]

Cardinal

On 6 January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI announced he would make Monteiro de Castro a cardinal on 18 February. He was created Cardinal-Deacon of San Domenico di Guzman on that day. On 21 April 2012, Monteiro de Castro was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants, Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the Congregation for Bishops.[20]

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.[21]

Honors

• In 1985, he was awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique, granted by Prime Minister Mário Soares.[22]
• In 2003, he was decorated with the Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ, granted by the minister of Foreign Affairs.[22]

See also

• Apostolic Nuncio
• List of diplomatic missions of the Holy See

References

1. "Cardinals Created by Benedict XVI (2012)". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
2. "Religion: Manuel Monteiro de Castro Elevated to Cardinal". Portuguese-American Journal. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
3. "EWTN Global Catholic Television Network: Catholic News, TV, Radio | EWTN". EWTN Global Catholic Television Network. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
4. "Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica, Ex-alunni 1950 – 1999" (in Italian). Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
5. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXVII. 1985. pp. 346, 443. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
6. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXVII. 1985. p. 677. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
7. "Manuel Cardinal Monteiro de Castro [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
8. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXIX. 1987. p. 623. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
9. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXXII. 1990. p. 1021. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
10. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXXIII. 1991. p. 447. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
11. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). XC. 1998. p. 245. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
12. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). XC. 1998. p. 302. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
13. "Rinunce e Nomine, 01.03.2000" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 1 March 2000. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
14. Sills, Ben; Bates, Stephen (5 May 2004). "Papal envoy breaks ranks on gay couples". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
15. "Rinunce e Nomine, 07.12.2007" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 December 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
16. "Rinunce e Nomine, 03.07.2009" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
17. "Rinunce e Nomine, 21.10.2009" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
18. "Rinunce e Nomine, 19.11.2009" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
19. "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.01.2012" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 5 January 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
20. "Rinunce e Nomine, 21.04.2012" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
21. "Elenco dei Cardinali che entrano in Conclave secondo il loro rispettivo ordine e precedenza (Vescovi, Presbiteri, Diaconi)" [List of Cardinals entering into Conclave according to their respective order of precedence (Bishops, Priests, Deacons)] (in Italian). Sala Stampa della Santa Sede. 12 March 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
22. Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church

External links

• "Monteiro de Castro Card. Manuel". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Paul Fouad Naïm Tabet	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Bahamas 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990	Succeeded by Eugenio Sbarbaro
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Barbados 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Belize 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990	Succeeded by Giacinto Berloco
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Jamaica 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990	Succeeded by Eugenio Sbarbaro
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Trinidad and Tobago 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990
New creation	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Dominica 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Grenada 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Saint Lucia 16 February 1985 – 21 August 1990
	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Antigua and Barbuda 25 April 1987 – 21 August 1990
Preceded by Francesco De Nittis	Apostolic Nuncio to El Salvador 21 August 1990 – 2 February 1998	Succeeded by Giacinto Berloco
	Apostolic Nuncio to Honduras 21 August 1990 – 12 April 1991	Succeeded by Luigi Conti
Preceded by Ambrose Battista De Paoli	Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa 2 February 1998 – 1 March 2000	Succeeded by Blasco Francisco Collaço
	Apostolic Nuncio to Namibia 2 February 1998 – 1 March 2000
	Apostolic Nuncio to Swaziland 2 February 1998 – 1 March 2000
	Apostolic Nuncio to Lesotho 2 February 1998 – 1 March 2000
Preceded by Lajos Kada	Apostolic Nuncio to Spain 1 March 2000 – 3 July 2009	Succeeded by Renzo Fratini
	Apostolic Nuncio to Andorra 1 March 2000 – 3 July 2009
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Francesco Monterisi	Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops 3 July 2009 – 5 January 2012	Succeeded by Lorenzo Baldisseri
Preceded by Fortunato Baldelli	Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary 5 January 2012 – 21 September 2013	Succeeded by Mauro Piacenza