Leopoldo Ruiz y Flóres (13 November 1865 – 12 December 1941) was aMexican prelate of theCatholic Church who served asArchbishop of Morelia from 1911 until his death in 1941. He was previouslyBishop of Léon from 1900 to 1907 andArchbishop of Linares o Nueva León from 1907 to 1911.
During the Church-state negotiations following theCristero War, he represented theHoly See as itsApostolic Delegate to Mexico. He was sent into exile in 1932 in reprisal for a sharp critique of the Mexican government byPope Pius XI and returned in 1938.
Leopoldo Ruiz y Flóres was born on 13 November 1865 inAmealco de Bonfil, Mexico. He was ordained a priest on 17 March 1888.
On 12 November 1900,Pope Leo XIII appointed himBishop of Léon.[1] He received his episcopal consecration on 27 December 1900. On 14 September 1907,Pope named himArchbishop of Linares o Nueva León.[1]
On 27 November 1911,Pope Pius X named himArchbishop of Michoacán.[2] (The name of that archdiocese changed to the Archdiocese of Morelia on 22 November 1924.)
He was appointedApostolic Delegate to Mexico on 10 October 1929 byPope Pius XI.[3][4] TheCristero War, a rebellion against the government's suppression of the Catholic Church, was ending, but years of conflict about its resolution followed. In his new role, Ruiz led the Mexican bishops into alignment with Pope Pius, who opposed the rebellion but struggled with the government's ongoing anti-clericalism.[5] Ruiz represented the Church in difficult negotiations with the government while contending with instructions and pronouncements from Rome. The situation worsened when Pope Pius issued an encyclical,Acerba animi, on 29 September 1932 that denounced the government for reneging on earlier agreements. Ruiz had always been a moderate in tone and posture, but as the Vatican's representative became the target of the government's response. On 3 October 1932, the Chamber of Deputies voted him into exile. He based himself nearby inSan Antonio, Texas. Under pressure from Rome he resigned as Apostolic Delegate and then returned to Mexico in 1938.[6][a]
He was still Archbishop of Morelia when he died on 12 December 1941 at the age of 76.[7]
Delegato Apostolico nel Messico
