Salesian Cardinals

Throughout the history of the Salesian Congregation, the popes have chosen some of its members as cardinals, that is, as his closest collaborators in the government of the Universal Church. Always a reason for joy and sadness: joy because of the appreciation of the service performed by certain Salesians, sadness because the Congregation has to do without one of its most valuable members.

The term “cardinal” comes from Latin and means “hinge”, i.e. a point around which a door usually revolves. Or perhaps it can be better understood if we recall the cardinal virtues, i.e. the virtues around which all other human virtues revolve.
Cardinals are people who have received the sacrament of Holy Orders and are called by the Pope to perform a mission alongside him in the Universal Church, either individually or collegially. They hold the most important positions in the Roman Curia.
Their importance also lies in the fact that they are the ones who have the mission of electing the new pontiff (only the electors, i.e. those who have not reached the age of 80), with the College of Cardinals gathered in Conclave, when the Sede Vacante occurs.
There are three groups of cardinals: Cardinal-bishops, who are the holders of the suburbicarian dioceses (outside the walls of Rome or in the city’s environs) and, by decision after the Second Vatican Council, the Eastern Patriarchs elevated to the cardinalate (who retain the title of their own patriarchal see); Cardinal-presbyters – the most numerous -, and Cardinal-deacons. The latter two orders are respectively assigned titles or deaconships (churches) in Rome. These honorary titles reflect their closeness to the Pope.
There are usually 6 Cardinal-bishops (there are 6 suburbicarian Sees), but today, by virtue of a papal dispensation, 4 more Cardinal-bishops are appointed ad personam (without the cardinal title being elevated to an episcopal title) and 2 more patriarchs, in total 12, of whom 6 are electors.
There are 182 Cardinal-presbyters, of whom 97 are electors.
The Cardinal deacons are 27, of whom 16 are electors.
In total there are 221 cardinals, of whom 119 are electors.

Cardinals are usually chosen from among bishops, archbishops, metropolitans or patriarchs, but there have also been appointments among priests. Pope St John Paul II appointed 9 priests as cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI appointed 5 priests as cardinals and Pope Francis has so far appointed 8 priests as cardinals, 10 if we consider the latest announcement on 9 July.

The first Salesian to be elevated to the dignity of cardinal was Archbishop John Cagliero, on 6 December 1915. After him, 18 other Salesians received the cardinal’s biretta and the 20th, Fr Ángel FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME, will receive it on 30 September next. He is the first Rector Major to receive the cardinal’s red hat.
For many people looking in from the outside, the first thing they see is the dignity it implies; but even if this is real, Pope Francis reminds them that it is not a privilege, but a service, and the red colour means it must be performed until the outpouring of blood. And it is an unspecified service that requires total availability. God asked Abraham to set out without specifying where he would go, to prove his faith; similarly for the new cardinals.

We wish our Rector Major, Fr Ángel many graces from the Lord to guide him in his new mission and assure him of our prayers.

In the hope of making more and more Salesian cardinals known, we present below the list of all these cardinals with the dates and the most important offices they have held or continue to hold to date.

John CAGLIERO  
Born 11.01.1838, Castelnuovo d’Asti, Italy
Ordained priest 14.06.1862
Consecrated Bishop 07.12.1884
Created Cardinal 06.12.1915
Coat of arms  
Motto Recto fixus Calli ero
Apostolic Vicar of Northern Patagonia (Argentina) 30.09.1884 – 24.03.1904
Titular Bishop of Magyddus 30.10.1884 – 24.03.1904
Titular Archbishop of Sebastia 24.03.1904 – 06.12.1915
Apostolic Delegate in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras 07.08.1908 – 06.12.1915
Cardinal Parish Priest of St. Bernard at the Baths 09.12.1915 – 16.12.1920
Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati 16.12.1920 – 28.02.1926
He was inspector for 2 years, bishop for 41 years of which 10 Cardinal  
Deceased 28.02.1926, Rome, Italy, † 88
   
August HLOND, Venerable  
Born 05.07.1881, Brzęczkowice, Poland
Ordained priest 23.09.1905
Consecrated Bishop 03.01.1926
Created Cardinal 20.06.1927
Coat of arms  
Motto Da mihi animas cetera tolle
Apostolic Administrator of Upper Silesia (Poland) 07.11.1922 – 28.10.1925
Bishop of Katowice (Poland) 28.10.1925 – 24.06.1926
President of the Polish Episcopal Conference 1926 – 22.10.1948
Metropolitan Archbishop of Poznań (Poland) 24.06.1926 – 03.05.1946
Metropolitan Archbishop of Gniezno (Poland) 24.06.1926 – 22.10.1948
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Mary of Peace 22.12.1927 – 22.10.1948
Founder of the Society of Christ for Polish Immigrants 08.09.1932
Metropolitan Archbishop of Warszawa (Poland) 13.06.1946 – 22.10.1948
Cardinal and Religious of the Salesians of St. John Bosco  
Servus Dei. He was Provincial for 3 years, Apostolic Administrator for 3 years, Archbishop of Warszawa for 23 years and Cardinal Primate of Poland for 21 years. Cause for canonisation is underway  
Deceased 22.10.1948, Warsaw, Poland, † 67
   
Raúl SILVA HENRÍQUEZ  
Born 27.09.1907, Talca, Chile
Ordained priest 03.07.1938
Consecrated Bishop 29.11.1959
Created Cardinal 19.03.1962
Coat of arms  
Motto Caritas christi urget nos
Bishop of Valparaíso (Chile) 24.10.1959 – 14.05.1961
Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago (Chile) 14.05.1961 – 03.05.1983
President of Caritas Internationalis 1962 – 1965
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Bernard at the Baths 22.03.1962 – 09.04.1999
President of the Episcopal Conference of Chile 1963 – 1968
President of the Episcopal Conference of Chile 1972 – 1976
He was Bishop of Valparaiso for 3 years, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile for 11 years and Cardinal for 22 years  
Deceased 09.04.1999, Santiago, Chile, † 91
   
Stepán TRÓCHTA  
Born 26.03.1905, Francova Lhota, Czech Republic
Ordained priest 29.06.1932
Consecrated Bishop 16.11.1947
Created Cardinal in pectore 28.04.1969
Revealed as cardinal 05.03.1973
Coat of arms  
Motto Actio sacrificium caritas
Bishop of Litoměřice (Czech Republic) 27.09.1947 – 06.04.1974
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. John Bosco in Via Tuscolana 12.04.1973 – 06.04.1974
Was Bishop of Litoměřice (Czech Republic) for 26 years and Cardinal for 5 years  
Deceased 06.04.1974, Litoměřice, Czech Republic, † 69
   
Ignacio Antonio VELASCO GARCÍA  
Born 17.01.1929, Acarigua, Venezuela
Ordained priest 17.12.1955
Consecrated Bishop 06.01.1990
Created Cardinal 21.02.2001
Coat of arms  
Motto Servus Christi pro fratribus
Titular Bishop of Utimmira 23.10.1989 – 27.05.1995
Apostolic Vicar of Puerto Ayacucho (Venezuela) 23.10.1989 – 27.05.1995
Apostolic Administrator of San Fernando de Apure (Venezuela) 27.05.1992 – 12.07.1994
Metropolitan Archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela) 27.05.1995 – 06.07.2003
Cardinal-Presbyter of S. Maria Domenica Mazzarello 21.02.2001 [24.05.2001] – 06.07.2003
He was Provincial for 6 years, Regional Councillor for 6 years, Bishop for 13 years, and Cardinal for 2 years  
Deceased 06.07.2003, Caracas, Venezuela, † 74
   
Alfons Maria STICKLER  
Born 23.08.1910, Neunkirchen, Austria
Ordained priest 27.03.1937
Consecrated Bishop 01.11.1983
Created Cardinal 25.05.1985
Coat of arms  
Motto Omnia et in omnibus Christus
Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical Salesian Athenaeum 1958 – 1966
Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library 1971 – 07.09.1983
Titular Archbishop of Bolsena 07.09.1983 – 25.05.1985
Pro-Librarian of the Vatican Apostolic Library 07.09.1983 – 27.05.1985
Pro-Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives 09.07.1984 – 27.05.1985
Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro 25.05.1985 – 29.01.1996
Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives 27.05.1985 – 01.07.1988
Librarian of the Vatican Apostolic Library 27.05.1985 – 01.07.1988
Cardinal-Parish priest of S. Giorgio in Velabro 29.01.1996 – 12.12.2007
He was titular Archbishop of Bolsena for 2 years and Cardinal for 22 years  
Deceased 12.12.2007, Vatican City State, † 97
   
Rosalio José CASTILLO LARA  
Born 04.09.1922, San Casimiro, Venezuela
Ordained priest 04.09.1949
Consecrated Bishop 24.05.1973
Created Cardinal 25.05.1985
Coat of arms  
Motto Misericordia et veritas
Coadjutor Bishop of Trujillo (Venezuela) 26.03.1973 – 05.10.1981
Titular Bishop of Præcausa 26.03.1973 – 26.05.1982
Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law 12.02.1975 – 22.05.1982
President of the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia 05.10.1981 – 1990
Pro-President of the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law 22.05.1982 – 18.01.1984
Titular Archbishop of Præcausa 26.05.1982 – 25.05.1985
Pro-President of the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law 18.01.1984 – 27.05.1985
Cardinal-Deacon of Our Lady of Coromoto in St. John of God 25.05.1985 – 29.01.1996
President of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts 27.05.1985 – 06.12.1989
President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See 06.12.1989 – 24.06.1995
President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State 31.10.1990 – 14.10.1997
Cardinal-Presbyter of Our Lady of Coromoto in St. John of God 29.01.1996 – 16.10.2007
President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State for 7 years  
Deceased 16.10.2007, Caracas, Venezuela, † 85
   
Miguel OBANDO BRAVO  
Born 02.02.1926, La Libertad, Nicaragua
Ordained priest 10.08.1958
Consecrated Bishop 31.03.1968
Created Cardinal 25.05.1985
Coat of arms  
Motto Omnibus omnia factus
Titular Bishop of Putia in Byzacena 18.01.1968 – 16.02.1970
Auxiliary Bishop of Matagalpa (Nicaragua) 18.01.1968 – 16.02.1970
Metropolitan Archbishop of Managua (Nicaragua) 16.02.1970 – 01.04.2005
President of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference 1971 – 1975
President of the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America and Panama 1976 – 1981
President of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference 1979 – 1983
President of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference 1985 – 1989
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. John the Evangelist in Spinaceto 25.05.1985 – 03.06.2018
President of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference 1993 – 1997
President of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference 1999 – 2005
He was Auxiliary Bishop of Matagalfa for 2 years, Bishop of Managua for 15 years, Cardinal for 15 years  
Deceased 03.06.2018, Managua, Nicaragua, † 92
   
Antonio María JAVIERRE ORTAS  
Born 21.02.1921, Siétamo, Spain
Ordained priest 24.04.1949
Consecrated Bishop 29.06.1976
Created Cardinal 28.06.1988
Motto  
Motto Ego vobiscum sum
Rector magnificus of the Pontifical Salesian University 1971 – 1974
Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education 20.05.1976 – 26.05.1988
Titular Archbishop of Meta 20.05.1976 – 28.06.1988
Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Liberatrice at Monte Testaccio 28.06.1988 – 09.01.1999
Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives 01.07.1988 – 24.01.1992
Librarian of the Vatican Apostolic Library 01.07.1988 – 24.01.1992
Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments 24.01.1992 – 21.06.1996
Cardinal-Presbyter of S. Maria Liberatrice at Monte Testaccio 09.01.1999 [24.04.1999] – 01.02.2007
He was titular archbishop of Meta for 12 years and Cardinal for 18 years  
Deceased 01.02.2007, Rome, Italy, † 85
   
Óscar Andrés RODRÍGUEZ MARADIAGA  
Born 29.12.1942, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Ordained priest 28.06.1970
Consecrated Bishop 08.12.1978
Created Cardinal 21.02.2001
Coat of arms  
Motto Mihi vivere Christus est
Titular Bishop of Pudentiana 28.10.1978 – 08.01.1993
Auxiliary Bishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras) 28.10.1978 – 08.01.1993
Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras 1980 – 1988
Apostolic Administrator of Santa Rosa de Copán (Honduras) 1981 – 27.01.1984
Secretary General of the Latin American Episcopal Council 1987 – 1991
Apostolic Administrator of San Pedro Sula (Honduras) 1993 – 11.11.1994
Metropolitan Archbishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras) 08.01.1993 – 26.01.2023
President of the Latin American Bishops’ Council 1995 – 1999
President of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras 1996 – 13.06.2016
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Mary of Hope 21.02.2001 [27.05.2001] – …
President of Caritas Internationalis 05.06.2007 [09.06.2007] – 15.05.2015
Coordinator of the Council of Cardinals 13.04.2013 – 07.03.2023
Cardinal Emeritus 2023
Age 80
   
Tarcisio BERTONE  
Born 02.12.1934, Romano Canavese, Italy
Ordained priest 01.07.1960
Consecrated Bishop 01.08.1991
Created Cardinal 21.10.2003
Coat of arms  
Motto Fidem custodire concordiam servare
Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical Salesian University 01.06.1989 – 04.06.1991
Metropolitan Archbishop of Vercelli (Italy) 04.06.1991 – 13.06.1995
Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 13.06.1995 – 10.12.2002
Metropolitan Archbishop of Genoa (Italy) 10.12.2002 – 29.08.2006
Cardinal-Presbyter of S. Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana 21.10.2003 [24.03.2004] – 10.05.2008
Secretary of State of the Secretariat of State 15.09.2006 – 15.10.2013
President of the Interdicasterial Commission on Particular Churches 15.09.2006 – 15.10.2013
President of the Interdicasterial Commission for the Church in Eastern Europe 15.09.2006 – 15.10.2013
Cardinal Protector of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy 15.09.2006 – 15.10.2013
Member of the Cardinal Commission of Vigilance over the Institute for Works of Religion 14.10.2006 – .03.2008
Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church of the Apostolic Chamber 04.04.2007 – 20.12.2014
President of the Cardinal Commission of Vigilance over the Institute for the Works of Religion 03.2008 – 15.01.2014
Cardinal Bishop of Frascati 10.05.2008 [03.10.2009] – …
Cardinal Camerlengo emeritus of H.R.C. 2014
Age 88
   
Joseph ZEN ZE-KIUN  
Born 13.01.1932, Shanghai, Cina
Ordained priest 11.02.1961
Consecrated Bishop 09.12.1996
Created Cardinal 24.03.2006
Coat of arms  
Motto Ipsi cura est
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer in Tor Bella Monaca  
Coadjutor Bishop of Hong Kong 13.09.1996 – 23.09.2002
Bishop of Hong Kong 23.09.2002 – 15.04.2009
Cardinal-Presbyter of S. Maria Madre del Redentore at Tor Bella Monaca 24.03.2006 [31.05.2006] – …
Cardinal Emeritus of Hong Kong  
Age 91
   
Raphael FARINA  
Born 24.09.1933, Buonalbergo, Italy
Ordained priest 01.07.1958
Consecrated Bishop 16.12.2006
Created Cardinal 24.11.2007
Coat of arms  
Motto Dominus spes nostra
Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical Salesian University 1977 – 1983
Secretary of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences 1981 – 1989
Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture 1986 – 1991
Rector of the Pontifical Salesian University 1991 – 1997
Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library 25.05.1997 – 25.06.2007
Titular Bishop of Oderzo 15.11.2006 – 25.06.2007
Titular Archbishop of Oderzo 25.06.2007 – 24.11.2007
Archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives 25.06.2007 – 09.06.2012
Librarian of the Vatican Apostolic Library 25.06.2007 – 09.06.2012
Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giovanni della Pigna 24.11.2007 [05.04.2008] – 19.05.2018
President of the Pontifical Commission for the Institute for Works of Religion 24.06.2013 – 22.05.2014
Cardinal-Presbyter of S. Giovanni della Pigna 19.05.2018 – …
Cardinal Emeritus 2014
Age 89
   
Angelo AMATO  
Born 08.06.1938, Molfetta, Italy
Ordained priest 22.12.1967
Consecrated Bishop 06.01.2003
Created Cardinal 20.11.2010
Coat of arms  
Motto Sufficit gratia mea
Pro-rector of the Pontifical Salesian University 01.10.1991 – 02.12.1991
Prelate-Secretary of the Pontifical Academy of Theology 1999 – 19.12.2002
Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 19.12.2002 – 09.07.2008
Titular Archbishop of Sila 19.12.2002 – 20.11.2010
Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints 09.07.2008 – 31.08.2018
Cardinal Deacon of S. Maria in Aquiro 20.11.2010 [11.02.2011] – 03.05.2021
Cardinal-Presbyter of S. Maria in Aquiro 03.05.2021 – …
Cardinal emeritus 2018
Age 85
   
Ricardo EZZATI ANDRELLO  
Born 07.01.1942, Campiglia dei Berici, Italy
Ordained priest 18.03.1970
Consecrated Bishop 08.09.1996
Created Cardinal 22.02.2014
Coat of arms  
Motto Para evangelizar
Bishop of Valdivia (Chile) 28.06.1996 – 10.07.2001
Titular Bishop of La Imperial 10.07.2001 – 27.12.2006
Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago (Chile) 10.07.2001 – 27.12.2006
Metropolitan Archbishop of Concepción (Chile) 27.12.2006 – 15.12.2010
President of the Episcopal Conference of Chile .11.2010 – 11.11.2016
Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago (Chile) 15.12.2010 – 23.03.2019
Cardinal-Presbyter of the Most Holy Redeemer in Valmelaina 22.02.2014 [11.10.2014] – …
Cardinal Emeritus 2019
Age 81
   
Charles MAUNG BO  
Born 29.10.1948, Mohla, Myanmar
Ordained priest 09.04.1976
Consecrated Bishop 16.12.1990
Created Cardinal 14.02.2015
Coat of arms  
Motto Omnia possum in Eo
Apostolic Administrator of Lashio (Myanmar) 1985 – 1986
Apostolic Prefect of Lashio (Myanmar) 1986 – 07.07.1990
Bishop of Lashio (Myanmar) 07.07.1990 – 13.03.1996
Bishop of Pathein (Myanmar) 13.03.1996 – 24.05.2003
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar 2000 – 2006
Metropolitan Archbishop of Yangon (Myanmar) 24.05.2003 – …
Cardinal-Presbyter of St Irenaeus in Centocelle 14.02.2015 [21.10.2015] – …
President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences 16.11.2018 [01.01.2019] – …
President of the Myanmar Episcopal Conference 2020 – …
Apostolic Administrator of Myitkyina (Myanmar) 18.11.2020 – …
Age 74
   
Daniel Fernando STURLA BERHOUET  
Born 04.07.1959, Montevideo, Uruguay
Ordained priest 21.11.1987
Consecrated Bishop 04.03.2012
Created Cardinal 14.02.2015
Coat of arms  
Motto Servir al Señor con alegría
Titular Bishop of Phelbes 10.12.2011 – 11.02.2014
Auxiliary Bishop of Montevideo (Uruguay) 10.12.2011 – 11.02.2014
Metropolitan Archbishop of Montevideo (Uruguay) 11.02.2014 – …
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Galla 14.02.2015 [17.05.2015] – …
Vice-President of the Episcopal Conference of Uruguay 16.11.2021 [01.04.2022] – …
Age 64
   
Cristóbal LÓPEZ ROMERO  
Born 19.05.1952, Vélez-Rubio, Spain
Ordained priest 19.05.1979
Consecrated Bishop 10.03.2018
Created Cardinal 05.10.2019
Coat of arms  
Motto Adveniat Regnum Tuum
Archbishop of Rabat (Morocco) 29.12.2017 – …
Apostolic Administrator of Tánger (Morocco) 24.05.2019 – 25.02.2022
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Leo I 05.10.2019 [16.02.2020] – …
President of the North African Regional Bishops’ Conference 15.02.2022 – …
Age 71
   
Virgilio DO CARMO DA SILVA  
Born 27.11.1967, Venilale, Timor-Este
Ordained priest 18.12.1998
Consecrated Bishop 19.03.2016
Created Cardinal 27.08.2022
Coat of arms  
Motto Ad Deum Patrem Omnipotentem
Vice-President of the Episcopal Conference of Timor 2016 – …
Bishop of Díli (East Timor) 30.01.2016 – 11.09.2019
Metropolitan Archbishop of Díli (East Timor) 11.09.2019 – …
Cardinal-Presbyter of St. Albert the Great 27.08.2022 [07.05.2023] – …
Age 55
   
Ángel FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME  
Born 21.08.1960, Gozón-Luanco, Spain
Ordained priest 04.07.1987
Created Cardinal 30.09.2023
Consecrated Bishop 2024 – ?
Coat of arms  
Motto Sufficit tibi gratia mea
Age 63