Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Cardinal-elect Poli, Buenos Aires’ successor to Bergoglio

Cardinal-elect Poli, Buenos Aires’ successor to Bergoglio

Last updated on: February 14, 2014 at 7:07 am by CNA Daily News

Cardinal-elect Poli, Buenos Aires’ successor to Bergoglio 2014-02-14T07:07:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb 14, 2014 / 12:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A “low profile” bishop, with few political contacts: this is how the Argentine press describes Archbishop Mario Poli of Buenos Aires, who will receive the red hat of a cardinal Feb. 22.

Pope Francis wasted no time in appointing Archbishop Poli as his successor in Buenos Aires. Fifteen days after his election as Bishop of Rome vacated his old see, Pope Francis provided for his former diocese by appointing one of its own sons.

Archbishop Poli was born in Buenos Aires in 1947, and entered seminary in 1969, after having received a degree in social work.

He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires in 1978, and served as a parish priest for some years. In 1992, he was appointed director of the San Jose Vocational Institute, a spirituality year in which seminarians of the archdiocese begin their formation with a year dedicated to spiritual formation.

Archbishop Poli was then consecrated as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 2002, while the see’s ordinary was Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio.

Archbishop Poli assisted Archbishop Bergoglio for six years, until he was appointed Bishop of Santa Rosa. The city is the capital of La Pampa province, a rural area largely given to agriculture and ranching.

An Argentine source told CNA that in Santa Rosa, Archbishop Poli was considered a bishop given “100 percent to his pastoral mission, getting in touch with poor people and working with young people, while he has almost not had contacts with politicians.”

His homilies are reportedly plain, focused on the Gospel and without any political accent, but Archbishop Poli is known for having twice taken strong stances on issues.

Last August, one of his priests posted birthday wishes on Facebook for the late Jorge Rafael Videla, the country’s dictator and de facto president from 1976 to 1981.

Videla’s military dictatorship disappeared as many as 30,000 Argentines, and may have murdered as many as 15,000. Kidnappings, torture, and other violations of human rights were rampant.

Within a week of the priest’s post, Archbishop Poli called it an “unbearable scandal,” saying the priest caused the Church “serious damage.” He wrote a letter to read in each parish of the archdiocese stigmatizing the priest’s expressions.

In addition, when Argentine legislators were debating a same-sex marriage bill, he wrote them a letter clearly explaining the Church’s teaching and opposition to the bill.

During his years as a bishop, his major involvement with political power has been a 2009 incident, when he effected a return of an image of Our Lady of Lujan, patroness of Argentina, to a government office.

A government official, Guillermo Di Liscia, considered the image offensive to “the interests of other religions, and of atheists.” Archbishop Poli wrote to his parishes, maintaining that the incident was an example of “religious intolerance, and would certainly carry consequences for the everyday life of the people of La Pampa.”

Under the bishop’s pressure, the image was returned to its original location, and Archbishop Poli said Mass for the occasion.

Archbishop Poli’s installation as Archbishop of Buenos Aires took place April 20, 2013, and the following month he was appointed to be also the bishop of the ordinariate for Eastern Catholics in Argentina.

According to the Buenos Aires-based Valores Religiosos, he is known in the city for bicycling from his cathedral to visit various neighborhoods of the city.

The Argentine publication was told by a source that “Bergoglio designated as bishops those most close to his thought. We will not see more bishops with ‘princely’ or ‘stately’ styles.”

Another source indicated that Archbishop Poli “never took an interest in politics, nor does he participate in the ‘threat’, or meet with leaders early in the morning as did Bergoglio,” adding that he “fosters Catholic schools, and takes care that ‘the sheep are well.’”

Archbishop Poli is among 19 men who will be given the red hat of a cardinal at the Vatican later this month. He is the fifth Archbishop of Buenos Aires to be made a cardinal: the see has not come without a red hat since 1959.

Americas

Previous Post

February 14, 2014

National Marriage Week recognizes foundations of society

Next Post

February 14, 2014 Archbishop warns of genocide in Central African Republic

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Gospel was written by a doctor?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John Luke Mark Matthew