College of Cardinals

Biographical notes

[Updated: 02.05.2011]

Notice: the biographical notes are only a working instrument for the press.

Cardinal Agustín García-Gasco Vicente, Archbishop emeritus of Valencia (Spain), was born on 12 February 1931 in Corral de Almaguer, Toledo, Spain. He was ordained a priest on 26 May 1956 and has degrees in theology, industrial sociology and human relations, business and in adult education and distance education techniques.

In July 1956 he became parish priest of Villamanta in Madrid and in 1957 he was named episcopal delegate of the diocesan Caritas and professor of the school of the Cursillos de Cristiandad.

From 1958 until 1970 he was a religious consultant to the ministry of education and science. He was also member of the diocesan pastoral council (1963-1966) and parish priest of Santísimo Cristo del Amor in Madrid (1964).

In 1966 he was nominated prefect of theologians and professors of the seminary of Madrid. In 1970 he became parish priest of Santiago y San Juan Bautista (Madrid), general secretary of the Archbishop Claret institute, member of the national Spanish secretariat of the clergy of Madrid. He was also founder and director of the international institute for distance-learning of theology, professor of religion and diocesan delegate of the clergy (1973).

In 1977 he was appointed episcopal vicar in Madrid III and in 1979 professor of the San Damaso Theological Institute. In 1982 he became president of the Archbishop Claret institute.

On 20 March 1985 he was elected titular Bishop of Nona and named Auxiliary of Madrid. He was ordained a bishop on 11 May of the same year. 

In 1988, he was elected general secretary of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference for 5 years.

In 1990 he became president of the international institute for distance-learning of theology and travelled to Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Honduras, Panama, Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay.

On 24 July 1992 he was appointed Archbishop of Valencia and took possession of the archdiocese on 3 October of the same year. In December 2003 he became Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University San Vicente Mártir.

In July 2006, Valencia hosted the World Meeting of Families with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI on the 8-9 of July. I

n April 2007, he was elected president of the bishops commission for the doctrine of the faith.

Archbishop emeritus of Valencia, 8 January 2009.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 November 2007, of the Title of San Marcello (St. Marcellus).

Cardinal Agustín García-Gasco Vicente died in Rome on 1 May 2011.

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