Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga, 72, is the current Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras and was President of the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM) from 1995 to 1999. He was elevated to the Cardinalate in 2001. He is the first cardinal from Honduras.
He is connected to the diocese through his acquaintance with Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine pastor, Father Alfonso Duran, and other brothers and priests of the Order of Mercy. Some Hispanic priests of the Diocese had suggested that Cardinal Rodriquez Maradiaga lead the annual retreat for Spanish-speaking priests. Bishop Gerald Barnes extended a formal invitation to Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga during the Summer and he accepted.
In addition to serving on Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals, Cardinal Rodriguez worked closely with then Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio in the creation of the Aparecida Document, a master plan proposed by the General Assembly of the Bishops of Latin America and the Carribean in 2007 for the living of the New Evangelization in the Western World.
“It’s huge,” said Dr. Jose Antonio Medina, Director of Continuing Formation of Priests, of Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga’s visit, “because he’s someone very close to Pope Francis. They have been working together for years and to have him here is to invite the diocese to be part of that vision they have for the Church.”
The Archbishop of Tegucigalpa since 1993, Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga has served as President of Caritas International (Catholic Charities) for the past eight years.
He is a member of the Congregations for the Clergy and for Catholic Education. He is also a member of the Pontifical Councils: for Justice and Peace; for Social Communications; “Cor Unum”; Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga was the Vatican’s spokesperson with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on the issue of Third World debt, and has encouraged countries to give development aid.
Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga speaks eight languages and holds degrees in philosophy, theology, clinical psychology and psychotherapy.
When he was elevated to cardinal, Honduras erupted in celebration. With church bells tolling and cheering people spilling into the streets, then-President Carlos Flores Facusse proclaimed: “His designation is motivation for Hondurans to have faith and hope that things will be better from this moment on.”