José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal,Bishop Emeritus of David | |
 | |
| Diocese | David |
| Appointed | 2 July 1999 |
| Term ended | 15 February 2024 |
| Predecessor | Daniel Enrique Núñez Núñez |
| Successor | Luis Enrique Saldaña Guerra |
| Other post | Cardinal-Priest of San Giuseppe da Copertino |
| Previous posts |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 13 July 1969 |
| Consecration | 18 January 1986 by José Sebastián Laboa Gallego |
| Created cardinal | 14 February 2015 byPope Francis |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1944-02-24)24 February 1944 (age 81) |
| Nationality | Spanish & Panamanian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Motto | Praesumus si prosumus (We have authority if we serve) |
| Coat of arms |  |
Ordination history of José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Styles of José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R. | |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | David |
José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán,O.A.R. (Spanish pronunciation:[xoˈselwislaˈkunθamaestɾoˈxwan]; born 24 February 1944), is aSpanish-bornPanamanian Catholic prelate who served asBishop of David from 1999 to 2024. He is a member of theOrder of Augustinian Recollects.Pope Francis made him acardinal in 2015.
Lacunza was born inPamplona, Spain, in 1944. He was accepted as a candidate by the Recollect friars and studied at the St. JosephMinor Seminary which they operated inArtieda,Zaragoza. Following this, he was received into thenovitiate of the Order, at the conclusion of which he professed temporaryreligious vows and received thehabit of the Order on 14 September 1964. He was then sent to do his university-level studies, first at the seminary run by the friars at their Monastery of Our Lady of Valentuñana inSos del Rey Católico,Zaragoza, and later at the Augustinian Seminary ofOur Lady of Consolation in Pamplona. Following graduation, he was sent to do histheological studies at the MajorSeminary of Our Lady of Pamplona.[1] At the conclusion of his studies, he professed his solemn vows as a full and permanent member of the Order on 16 September 1967 and he wasordained priest on 13 July 1969, both occurring in Pamplona.[2]
After his ordination, Lacunza was sent for a time to teach Latin and Religion at the Colegio Nuestra Señora del Buen Consejo (Our Lady of Good Counsel) inMadrid, administered by theAugustinian friars.[3] Soon after he was sent by his Order to teach at their school theColegio San Agustín inPanama City, serving asrector from 1979 to 1985. During this period, he also served on the board of directors of theUniversidad Católica Santa María La Antigua,[1] as well earning alicentiate in Philosophy and History from theUniversity of Panama with his published thesis,Fundamento Espiritual de la Edad Moderna ("The Spiritual Foundations of the Modern Age"). He became rector of the university in 1985 as well as Rector of St. Joseph the Great Seminary, serving theArchdiocese of Panama. He was later appointed asVicar General of the archdiocese.[2]
Lacunza was appointed anauxiliary bishop of the archdiocese byPope John Paul II on 30 December 1985, for which he was consecrated on 18 January 1985, with thetitular see ofParthenia. On 29 October 1994, Pope John Paul appointed him theBishop of Chitré. He was transferred to the office ofBishop of David by the same pope on 2 July 1999. He came to serve as President of theEpiscopal Conference of Panama (2010–2013) as well as an official of theLatin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM).[2][4] During this time he achieved national prominence through his mediation of a violent dispute which broke out between the government and the indigenousNgöbe–Buglé people over the mining of their ancestral lands.[5]
4 January 2015,Pope Francis announced that he would make him acardinal on 14 February.[6] At that ceremony, he was assigned the Church ofSan Giuseppe da Copertino as histitular church.[7] He was the first member of his order[8] (established in 1588) and the first Panamanian to be named a cardinal.[9]
At theSynod on the Family in 2015, Lacunza argued that Moses was more merciful than Jesus because he permitted divorce, and asked, "Why can't Peter be more like Moses?"[10]
Lacunza presided at the beatification ofJames Miller on 7 December 2019 inHuehuetenango, Guatemala.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Titular Bishop of Parthenia 1985–1994 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Chitré 1994–1999 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of David 1999–2024 | Succeeded by Luis Enrique Saldaña Guerra |
| Preceded by titular church established | Cardinal Priest ofSan Giuseppe da Copertino 2015–present | Incumbent |
