- Manuel Monteiro de Castro
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Styles of
Manuel Monteiro de CastroReference style The Most Reverend Spoken style Your Excellency Religious style Monsignor Posthumous style none Manuel Monteiro de Castro (29 March 1938) is the current secretary of the Congregation for Bishops since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 3 July 2009.
Contents
Career in Church diplomacy
He was a priest in the Archdiocese of Braga. In 1985 he was appointed archbishop and pro-nuncio to the countries in the West Indies that have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, including The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, and apostolic delegate for the other territories, such as the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Netherlands Antilles. And at the same time was appointed archbishop. He was consecrated by Cardinal Secretary of State Agostino Casaroli. Two years later, when Antigua and Barbuda had established diplomatic relations with the Holy See, he became pro-nuncio there too instead of apostolic delegate. In 1998 he was transferred to South Africa, with responsibility also for some neighbouring countries. And in 2000 he became Apostolic Nuncio to Spain and Andorra. As such, he met with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, to reduce the tension between the Spanish Government and the Church.
Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops
On 3 July 2009, Pope Benedict appointed him secretary of the Congregation for Bishops,[1] replacing Archbishop Francesco Monterisi who was the same day appointed as archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The Congregation that considers candidates for appointing bishops for Latin Rite non-missionary dioceses, except in cases that fall within the competence the Section for Public Affairs of the Secretariat of State (appointments that require some form of consultation with governments) or the Congregation for the Oriental Churches (in the Middle East and Greece).
Traditionally the Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops is also Secretary of the College of Cardinals, and Monteiro de Castro was formally appointed to this role on 21 October 2009.[2] He is also one of the consultors of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.[1]
Views
Homosexual relationships
Monsignor Monteiro de Castro has been cited in the liberal press for his views on homosexual relationships. He told a conference of Spanish bishops that "there are other forms of cohabitation and it is good that they be recognised". He insisted that same-sex unions could not be regarded as marriages, but he implied that they were at least worthy of compassion.[3]
Catholic Church titles Preceded by
Ambrose Battista De PaoliApostolic Nuncio to South Africa
2 February 1998–1 March 2000Succeeded by
Blasco Francisco CollaçoPreceded by
Lajos KadaApostolic Nuncio to Spain
1 March 2000–3 July 2009Succeeded by
Renzo FratiniPreceded by
Francesco MonterisiSecretary of the Congregation for Bishops
3 July 2009–incumbentSucceeded by
incumbentReferences
Categories:- Living people
- 1938 births
- Roman Catholic titular archbishops
- Apostolic Nuncios to Spain
- Diplomats of the Holy See
- Portuguese Roman Catholics
- Members of the Congregation for Bishops
- 20th-century Roman Catholics
- 21st-century Roman Catholics
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