Carlos Osoro Sierra | |
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| Cardinal,Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Madrid |
| See | Madrid |
| Appointed | 28 August 2014 |
| Installed | 25 October 2014 |
| Term ended | 12 June 2023 |
| Predecessor | Antonio María Rouco Varela |
| Successor | José Cobo Cano |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 July 1973 by Juan Antonio del Val Gallo |
| Consecration | 22 February 1997 by Lajos Kada |
| Created cardinal | 19 November 2016 byPope Francis |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carlos Osoro Sierra (1945-05-16)16 May 1945 (age 80) |
| Motto | Per Christum et cum ipso et in ipso (Through Him and with Him and in Him) |
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Ordination history of Carlos Osoro Sierra | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Styles of Carlos Osoro Sierra | |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Religious style | Cardinal |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Carlos Osoro Sierra (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈkaɾlosoˈsoɾoˈsjera]; born 16 May 1945) is aSpanish prelate of theCatholic Church who wasArchbishop of Madrid from 2014 to 2023. He has been a bishop since 1997 and a cardinal since 2016.
Osoro was born inCastañeda in northern Spain on 16 May 1945. He studied at the Escuela Normal and taught for a year inSantander. He then entered the seminary for adult vocations inSalamanca, earning licentiates in theology and philosophy at thePontifical University of Salamanca. He later obtained a licentiate inExact Sciences from theComplutense University of Madrid and another in pedagogy from theUniversity of Salamanca. He was ordained a priest on 29 July 1973[1] by Bishop Juan Antonio de Val Gallo.
He worked in a parish in Torrelavega from 1973 to 1976. He then held diocesan positions: Secretary General, Episcopal Delegate for vocations and seminaries, Episcopal Delegate for the apostolate of the laity and Vicar for pastoral care from 1976 to 1996; rector of the diocesan seminary from 1977 to 1996; vicar general from 1978 to 1992; and president of the Cathedral Chapter from 1993 to 1996.[1]
Pope John Paul II named himBishop of Orense on 27 December 1996 and he received his episcopal consecration on 22 February 1997[1] from the Apostolic Nuncio to Spain ArchbishopLajos Kada.[2] Osoro was appointedArchbishop of Oviedo on 7 January 2002[1] and he was installed there on 23 February.[3] Within the Spanish Episcopal Conference he was president of the Commission for the Clergy from 1999 to 2005.[4]Pope Benedict XVI named himArchbishop of Valencia on 8 January 2009[4] and he was installed there on 18 April.[3] He was apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Santander from September 2006 to September 2007.[5]
Pope Francis named himArchbishop of Madrid on 28 August 2014.[5][6] Osoro Sierra is considered to be an orthodox prelate known for his pastoral sensitivities.[7] He participated in the synod on the family in October 2015 as one of three delegates elected by the Spanish Episcopal Conference[8] and Pope Francis included him among the members of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops he named in November.[9]
Pope Francis announced that he would elevate Osoro Sierra to the rank ofcardinal on 19 November 2016, where he was made Cardinal-Priest ofSanta Maria in Trastevere.[10][11] Francis made him a member of theCongregation for Catholic Education on 23 December 2017.[12]
Pope Francis has referred to Osoro Sierra as "Don Carlos the pilgrim", alluding to the cardinal's frequent walks around his archdiocese during which he mingles with the people to get to know them better.[11][13] He has made religious vocations one of his chief priorities and in Valencia the number of seminarians grew from 51 in 2012 to 61 in 2013 due to his efforts. Upon his arrival in Madrid, he planned to launch a diocesan plan for evangelisation to reach out to those cut off from the Church and to renew vigour in the Christian faith. He invites adolescents to join him at the start of each month for a vigil in which to dialogue with them to understand their needs and concerns, and he often celebrates Mass in prisons.[13][11] Osoro Sierra also visited cloisteredconvents when he arrived in Madrid.
Osoro Sierra was once asked whether he would define himself as a liberal or conservative prelate. But he insisted that he was "a man of the Church" and not one of the labels which seek to distract the Church's work.[11]
Despite some news reports in April 2016 that Osoro had prohibited CardinalGerhard Müller from discussing his book at a Madrid college because Osoro deemed it "against the pope",[14] Osoro welcomed Müller to a discussion of the book on 3 May at theUniversidad Francisco de Vitoria, a Roman Catholic university in Madrid.[15]
Pope Francis named him a member of theCongregation for the Oriental Churches on 6 August 2019[16] and of thePontifical Commission for Latin America on 10 March 2021.[17]
Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Madrid on 12 June 2023.[18] He was the oldestcardinal elector in the2025 papal conclave.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by José Diéguez Reboredo | Bishop of Ourense 27 December 1996 – 7 January 2002 | Succeeded by Luis Quinteiro Fiuza |
| Preceded by Gabino Díaz Merchán | Archbishop of Oviedo 7 January 2002 – 8 January 2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Valencia 8 January 2009 – 25 October 2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Vice-President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference 12 March 2014 – 14 March 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Madrid 25 October 2014 – 12 June 2023 | Succeeded by |
| Position created | Ordinary for the Faithful of Eastern Rite in Spain 6 June 2016 – | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere 19 November 2016 – | |
| Preceded by | Vice-President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference 3 March 2020 – | |
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