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José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán

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His Eminence

José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R.
Cardinal, Bishop Emeritus of David
DioceseDavid
Appointed2 July 1999
Term ended15 February 2024
PredecessorDaniel Enrique Núñez Núñez
SuccessorLuis Enrique Saldaña Guerra
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of San Giuseppe da Copertino
Previous post(s)
  • Bishop of Chitré (1994–1999)
  • Titular Bishop of Parthenia (1985–1994)
  • Auxiliary Bishop of Panamá (1985–1994)
Orders
Ordination13 July 1969
Consecration18 January 1986
by José Sebastián Laboa Gallego
Created cardinal14 February 2015
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born (1944-02-24) 24 February 1944 (age 80)
Pamplona, Navarre, Spain
NationalitySpanish & Panamanian
DenominationRoman Catholic
MottoPraesumus si prosumus
(We have authority if we serve)
Coat of armsJosé Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R.'s coat of arms
Ordination history of
José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán
History
Priestly ordination
Date13 July 1969
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorJosé Sebastián Laboa Gallego
Co-consecratorsMarcos Gregorio McGrath,CSC
José Agustin Ganuza García, OAR
Date18 January 1986
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Francis
Date14 February 2015
Styles of
José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R.
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeDavid

José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R. (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse lwis laˈkunθa maestɾoˈxwan]; born 24 February 1944), is a Spanish-born Panamanian friar of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Bishop of David from 1999 to 2024.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2015.

Biography

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Lacunza was born in Pamplona, Spain, in 1944. He was accepted as a candidate by the Recollect friars and studied at the St. Joseph Minor Seminary which they operated in Artieda, Zaragoza. Following this, he was received into the novitiate of the Order, at the conclusion of which he professed temporary religious vows and received the habit 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 in Sos del Rey Católico, Zaragoza, and later at the Augustinian Seminary of Our Lady of Consolation in Pamplona. Following graduation, he was sent to do his theological studies at the Major Seminary 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 was ordained 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) in Madrid, administered by the Augustinian friars.[3] Soon after he was sent by his Order to teach at their school the Colegio San Agustín in Panama City, serving as rector from 1979 to 1985. During this period, he also served on the board of directors of the Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua,[1] as well earning a licentiate in Philosophy and History from the University 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 the Archdiocese of Panama. He was later appointed as Vicar General of the archdiocese.[2]

Lacunza was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese by Pope John Paul II on 30 December 1985, for which he was consecrated on 18 January 1985, with the titular see of Parthenia. On 29 October 1994, Pope John Paul appointed him the Bishop of Chitré. He was transferred to the office of Bishop of David by the same pope on 2 July 1999. He came to serve as President of the Episcopal Conference of Panama (2010–2013) as well as an official of the Latin 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 indigenous Ngöbe–Buglé people over the mining of their ancestral lands.[5]

4 January 2015, Pope Francis announced that he would make him a cardinal on 14 February.[6] At that ceremony, he was assigned the Church of San Giuseppe da Copertino as his titular 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 the Synod 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 of James Miller on 7 December 2019 in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Lacunza was reported missing for a time in January/February 2024. He was seen on 30 January, but failed to appear for Mass the next day as expected, so Church officials asked for government assistance in locating him on 31 January. On 1 February he was located in his car in the Boquete district and appeared healthy but disoriented.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Mons. José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuan, o.a.r." Conferencia Episcopal Panameña. Archived from the original on December 17, 2015.(in Spanish)
  2. ^ a b c "Bishop José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán". Order of Augustinian Recollects. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24.
  3. ^ "Titularidad". Colegio Ntra. Sra. del Buen Consejo. Archived from the original on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2015-05-02.(in Spanish)
  4. ^ "José Luis Cardinal Lacunza Maestrojuán, O.A.R." Catholic Hierarchy.[self-published source]
  5. ^ "Mgr. Lacunza intermediary between government and indigenous protesters to avoid other deaths". News.VA Official Vatican Network. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Annuncio di Concistoro per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali" (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Consistory: list of titular church assignments". Vatican Radio. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  8. ^ "José Luis Lacunza, primer cardenal agustino recoleto: "El cristiano debe transformar el mundo para hacerle cada vez más cercano a los planes de Dios"". Agustinos Recoletos (in Spanish). 7 January 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "¿Quién es José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán?" (in Spanish). InfoVaticana. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  10. ^ De Souza, Raymond (2024-02-24). "Dead Synodality". The Catholic Thing. Archived from the original on 2024-02-28. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  11. ^ "Encuentran al cardenal José Luis Lacunza en Boquete". La Prensa (in Spanish). 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
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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 of San Giuseppe da Copertino
2015–present 		Incumbent
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