Luis Aponte MartÃnez
Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez ( * August 4, 1922 in Lajas, Puerto Rico, † April 10, 2012 in Hato Rey ) was Archbishop of San Juan.
Life
Luis Aponte Martínez, child of a peasant family with 18 brothers and sisters, the subjects studied at St. Joseph's Seminary in Boston and at the Boston University Philosophy and Catholic Theology. Bishop James Edward McManus C.Ss.R. donated to him on April 10, 1950 in San Germán, the sacrament of Holy Orders. In the following ten years he worked as a pastor and diocesan secretary in the bishopric Ponce and chaplain of the National Guard. During the 50 years was superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Ponce. He was also Chancellor of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
On July 23, 1960, he was named by Pope John XXIII. Titular Bishop of Lares and auxiliary bishop in Ponce. He received his episcopal consecration of the New York Archbishop, Francis Cardinal Spellman, on 12 October of the same year; Co-consecrators were the Archbishop of San Juan, James Peter Davis, and Bishop Edward John Harper, the prelate of the Virgin Islands. In 1963, he was then Bishop of Ponce and only a year later Archbishop of San Juan. Luis Aponte Martínez took in the years 1962-1965 at the Second Vatican Council and in 1969 at the first extraordinary meeting of the World Synod of Bishops in part. He was a Council Father of the first, third and fourth session.
Pope Paul VI. took him on March 5, 1973 as a cardinal priest with the titular church of Santa Maria della Madre Provvidenza a Monte Verde on the College of Cardinals. He was the only Puerto Rican cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was chairman of the Committee for Economic Affairs of the Council of Latin American Bishops CELAM. He was President of the Episcopal Conference of Puerto Rico as well as the CELAM.
On 26 March 1999 Pope John Paul II accepted his pre- mounted resignation for reasons of age.
At Conclave 2005 election of Pope Benedict XVI. he did not participate because he had the age of 80 years already passed. At the conclave for the election of John Paul I ( Conclave August 1978 ) and John Paul II ( Conclave October 1978) he was eligible to vote.
He was spiritual director of the Lazarus Order.
Writings
- Unde hoc Mihi / Porque a mi? Norma SA Editorial 2006, ISBN 978-9580490647 ( autobiography )