Digital Freedom, Digital edition, Javier Lozano
The tsunami caused by Pope Francis this Thursday with his appointments for Spain has directly affected the until now member of his curia, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares. And the domino effect after the resignation of Rouco Varela in Madrid and the arrival of Carlos Osoro to the capital to replace him has had as a third piece the until now prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.
The Valencian Cardinal, born in Utiel, He will be the new archbishop of Valencia and the capital of Turia will once again have a cardinal in its episcopal see. Cañizares will have the difficult task of replacing the new archbishop of Madrid, Carlos Osorio, after his triumphant passage through Valencia.
Rouco's resignation, that goes into the background, and his return to Spain makes Cañizares the other candidate to lead the Spanish Church alongside Osoro himself.. But nevertheless, Despite being a cardinal for years, his predecessor in the Valencian see has in his favor the impetus of his appointment as archbishop of Madrid, the most important headquarters, and his growing influence among the Spanish bishops where he serves as vice president of the Episcopal Conference.
Close to meeting the 69 years the Valencian cardinal will end his career in his homeland although for a long time he had been considered as a successor to Rouco Varela in Madrid and even Martínez Sistach in Barcelona, what had raised the ire of Catalan nationalism.
A consolation prize
Finally, neither one nor the other. Arrive in Valencia, the third in importance in what can be considered a consolation prize for Cañizares who does not return to Spain through the front door after leaving an important Vatican dicastery and despite being a cardinal.
It doesn't arrive, but nevertheless, to a small or unimportant diocese. It is one of the largest dioceses in Europe and also one of the most active, thanks in part also to Osoro's push. And I didn't have many options to return to Spain.. Due to his status as a cardinal and having been Primate Archbishop in Toledo, the real options were only to reach important seats and they would be or return to Toledo., go to Madrid or Barcelona or stop in Seville or Valencia. The seats that cardinals have had in recent times.
Cardinal Antonio Cañizares returns to Spain after six years in the Holy See as prefect. He was appointed by Benedict XVI to lead one of the key dicasteries for the German Pope. In 2008 He left for the Holy See as a cardinal and became the Spaniard who was in the highest echelon in the Church at that time..
During his years in Rome he traveled very frequently to Spain, maintaining a very close bond with the country and it was popular opinion that the cardinal did not frown upon returning.. This move is perhaps less surprising since Antonio Cañizares was the only head of the Vatican dicastery who had not yet been confirmed or revoked from his position after the arrival of Francisco, which made it possible to foresee a possible departure towards Spain.
Antonio Cañizares was ordained a priest in 1970 in the Valencian town of Sinarcas. He is a doctor in Theology and an expert in Catechesis.. He has extensive experience as a bishop after being appointed prelate of Ávila in 1992. Four years later he became archbishop after being appointed to Granada. He would remain there for six years until he made the leap to Toledo, becoming primate archbishop of Spain..
In the primal seat he gained public notoriety and was also created cardinal by Benedict XVI in 2006 being at that time one of the youngest cardinals and later participating in the Conclave that elected Francis. In 2008 would make the leap to Rome to be prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments. In the Episcopal Conference he became vice president. In the next elections he will be able to run for the presidency and there it will be evident who has the upper hand, whether he or his predecessor and future archbishop of Madrid..
