O cardeal que nos chega de Prazins, no Minho

Manuel Monteiro de Castro (29 March 1938) is the current major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary since his appointment by Benedict XVI on 5 January 2012.[1] He had previously served as secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

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.

[edit] Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops

On 3 July 2009, Pope Benedict appointed him secretary of the Congregation for Bishops,[2] 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.[3] He is also one of the consultors of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.[1]

[edit] Major Penitentiary

On 5 January 2012 Archbishop Monteiro de Castro was appointed Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary replacing Cardinal Baldelli who had reached the retirement age of 75 in 2010. It is he job as major penitentiary to ensure the absolution of excommunications latæ sententiæ reserved to the Holy See, the dispensation of sacramental impediments reserved to the Holy See, and the issuance and governance of indulgences.

It was announced on 6 January 2012 that Archbishop Monteiro de Castro would be created a cardinal on 18 February by Pope Benedict XVI.
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.[4]