College of Cardinals

Biographical notes

[Updated: 14.04.2013]

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

RODRÍGUEZ MARADIAGA Card. Óscar Andrés, S.D.B.

Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B., Archbishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras), was born on 29 December 1942 in Tegucigalpa. He was ordained for the Salesians on 28 June 1970 and holds a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, and a diploma in clinical psychology and psychotherapy from Leopold Franz University, Innsbruck.

He taught chemistry, physics and music at various Salesian colleges in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala and was professor of moral theology and ecclesiology at the Salesian Theological Institute, Guatemala, and rector of the Salesian Philosophical Institute in the same country.

On 28 October 1978 he was appointed titular Bishop of Pudentiana and Auxiliary of Tegucigalpa, receiving episcopal ordination on 8 December.

He was promoted to Archbishop of Tegucigalpa on 8 January 1993 and was President of CELAM (1995-1999).

He is currently President of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras.

As of June 2007 he is President of Caritas Internationalis.

On 13 April 2013 he was made a coordinator of the group of cardinals established to advise Pope Francis in the government of the universal Church and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia,Pastor Bonus.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by the Bl. John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, of the Title of Santa Maria della Speranza (Our Lady of Hope).

Member of:

Congregations: for the Clergy; for Catholic Education;
Pontifical Councils: for Justice and Peace; for Social Communications; "Cor Unum";
Pontifical Commission for Latin America;
Special Council for America of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

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