Antonio Cañizares Llovera

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cañizares and the second or maternal family name is Llovera.

His Eminence

Antonio Cañizares Llovera
Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Valencia
Cañizares in 2016
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseValencia
Appointed28 August 2014
Installed4 October 2014
Term ended10 October 2022
PredecessorCarlos Osoro Sierra
SuccessorEnrique Benavent Vidal
Other post(s)
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination21 June 1970
by José María García Lahiguera
Consecration25 April 1992
by Mario Tagliaferri
Created cardinal24 March 2006
by Pope Benedict XVI
RankCardinal Priest
Personal details
Born
Antonio Cañizares Llovera

(1945-10-15) 15 October 1945
Utiel, Spain
DenominationRoman Catholic
Alma materPontifical University of Salamanca
MottoFiat voluntas tua ("Thy will be done")
Coat of armsAntonio Cañizares Llovera's coat of arms

Antonio Cañizares Llovera (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈto.njo kaɲiˈθaɾes ʎoˈβeɾa]; born 15 October 1945) is a Spanish Catholic cardinal who served as Archbishop of Valencia from 2014 to 2022. He was prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2008 to 2014, Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain from 2002 to 2008, and Archbishop of Granada from 1996 to 2002. He was made a cardinal in 2006.

Early life

Antonio Cañizares was born on 15 October 1945 in Utiel. His family moved to Sinarcas and he attended school there and in Requena. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy at the seminary in Valencia in 1964. At the Pontifical University of Salamanca, he obtained his licentiate in theology in 1968 and his doctorate in theology in 1971. He was ordained a priest on 21 June 1970 by Archbishop José García Lahiguera.[1][2] He undertook his first parish work in October 1972 at Santa María in Alcoy and there also served as a university chaplain, founded and ran schools for catechists.[2]

After a few years he moved to the Archdiocese of Madrid. He was professor of the at the Pontifical University of Salamanca from 1972 to 1992; professor of fundamental theology at the Conciliar Seminary of Madrid from 1974 to 1992, and professor at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences and Catechesis beginning in 1975, where he also served as director from 1978 to 1986.[1] From 1985 to 1992, Cañizares served as director of the CEE's Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith. He also founded and was the first president of Asociación Española de Catequistas, and was director of the review Teología y Catequesis.[1][2]

Early episcopal career

Styles of
Antonio Cañizares Llovera
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeValencia

On 6 March 1992, Cañizares was appointed Bishop of Ávila by Pope John Paul II.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following 25 April from Archbishop Mario Tagliaferri, with Cardinals Ángel Suquía Goicoechea and Marcelo González Martín serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of Ávila.[2] Cañizares was named a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on 10 November 1995.[1]

He was named Archbishop of Granada on 10 December 1996.[4] He took possession of the see on 1 February 1997.[1] He was also Apostolic Administrator of Cartagena from January to October 1998.[1] He was president of the CEE's Commission of Education and Catechesis in 1999 to 2005.[1]

Cañizares was promoted to Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain on 24 October 2002 by Pope John Paul II.[5] He took possession of the see on 15 December.[1] In 2005 he was elected to a three-year term as vice-president of the CEE.[1] Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal on 24 March 2006, assigning him the rank of cardinal priest with the title of San Pancrazio.[6] On 8 April 2006, Benedict made him a member of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei,[7] his first assignment related to the liturgy issues that became his focus in later years. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera on 4 July 2007.[2]

Cañizares was elected to medalla nº 16 of the Real Academia de la Historia on 1 December 2006 and he took up his seat on 24 February 2008.[8] Cañizares was sometimes called "Little Ratzinger" because his views mirrored those of Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger, a nickname Pope Benedict found amusing.[9]

Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship

On 9 December 2008, Pope Benedict appointed him Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.[10] Benedict made him a member of the Congregation for Bishops on 17 October 2009.[11]

In 2009, after a report detailed extensive sexual abuse on the part of Irish priests and as the Spanish government proposed easing restrictions on abortion, he said child abuse on the part of Catholic priests "cannot be compared with the millions of lives that have been destroyed by abortion. It has legally destroyed 40 million human lives."[12]

On 4 March 2010, he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.[13] On 13 November 2010 he was made a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.[14] On 5 March 2012 he was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.[15]

In 2013, discussing the importance Vatican II gave to liturgy, he said its "renewal must be understood in continuity with the Tradition of the Church and not as a break or discontinuity", eschewing both innovations that do not respect tradition and a rigidity that allows no change to the liturgy that Pope Pius XII knew.[16]

He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that selected Pope Francis.[17]

Archbishop of Valencia

On 28 August 2014, Pope Francis appointed Cañizares Archbishop of Valencia.[18] Cañizares reportedly asked Francis to name him to a Spanish see.[19] He was installed there on 4 October.[20] In this role he again adopted a combative tone, objecting to the secularism he said the government promoted and condemning the influence of "the gay empire". In 2015, he questioned the good faith of immigrants to Spain and said very few were fleeing persecution. Faced with a storm of protest and charges of racism, he reversed his position, modified his language, and developed initiatives to welcome refugees and was recognized by Pope Francis for his efforts.[21][22]

He served as vice president of the CEE again from 2017 to 2020.[1]

Pope Francis accepted his resignation as archbishop of Valencia on 10 October 2022.[23]

Health

Cañizares was one of two eligible cardinal electors who did not attend the 2025 papal conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, for health reasons.[24][25]

He was hospitalized on 7 August 2025, and the state of his health was described as "delicate".[26]

Views

On receiving Holy Communion

In an interview in December 2008 Cañizares Llovera discussed the best way to receive the Eucharist: "What does it mean to receive communion in the mouth? What does it mean to kneel before the Most Holy Sacrament? What does it mean to kneel during the consecration at Mass? It means adoration, it means recognizing the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; it means respect and an attitude of faith of a man who prostrates before God because he knows that everything comes from Him, and we feel speechless, dumbfounded, before the wondrousness, his goodness, and his mercy. That is why it is not the same to place the hand, and to receive communion in any fashion, than doing it in a respectful way; it is not the same to receive communion kneeling or standing up, because all these signs indicate a profound meaning."

In August 2010, he said that, due to the impact of earlier cultural impact and formation in children who learn at an earlier age, who are faced with mature issues earlier, and who are enormously influenced by modern morality, ethical systems, and the mass communications media, it might be preferable to start preparations for receiving the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist at an earlier age, which could also lead to lowering the age of reception for those sacraments (which is now about 7 or 8, the age of reason, where young children begin to be held responsible for their actions and belief systems).

On Summorum Pontificum and Tridentine Mass

In regard to the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, Cañizares Llovera said that "[The] intention of the Pope has not only been to satisfy the followers of Monsignor Lefevbre, nor to confine himself to respond to the just wishes of the faithful who feel attached...to the liturgical heritage represented by the Roman Rite, but also, and in a special way, to open the liturgical richness of the Church to all the faithful, thus making possible the discovery of the treasures of the liturgical patrimony of the Church to those who still do not know it... even if there were not a single 'traditionalist' whom to satisfy, this 'discovery' would have been enough to justify the provisions of the Pope."

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Antonio Cañizares Llovera". Spanish Episcopal Conference (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 May 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Episcopologio: Arzobispo don Antonio Cañizares Llovera". Archdiocese of Toledo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  3. ^ Acta Apostolica Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIV. 1992. p. 336. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  4. ^ Acta Apostolica Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIX. 1997. p. 74. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 24.10.2002" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 24 October 2002. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali" [Assignment of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals]. The Holy See (in Italian). Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice. 24 March 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 08.04.2006" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 8 April 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Emmo. Rvdmo. Antonio CAÑIZARES LLOVERA" (in Spanish). Real Academia de la Historia. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  9. ^ "The "Little Ratzinger" on His Upcoming Duty". Zenit. 1 March 2006. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 09.12.2008" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 17.10.2009" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  12. ^ Agnes, Paddy (29 May 2009). "Abortion worse than child abuse, says Vatican figure". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 04.03.2010" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 March 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.11.2010" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 November 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.03.2012" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Vatican Preparing a Manual to Help Priests Celebrate Mass". 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Elenco dei Cardinali che entrano in Conclave secondo il loro rispettivo ordine e precedenza (Vescovi, Presbiteri, Diaconi)" [List of Cardinals entering into Conclave according to their respective order of precedence (Bishops, Priests, Deacons)]. Sala Stampa della Santa Sede (in Italian). 12 March 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 28.07.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  19. ^ Tornielli, Andrea. "Nomine: Cañizares torna a Valencia, Osoro arcivescovo di Madrid". Vatican Insider (in Italian). Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Octavo aniversario de la toma de posesión del cardenal Cañizares como Arzobispo de Valencia". Archidiócesis de Valencia (in Spanish). 4 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Vom "kleinen Ratzinger" zum Vorreiter des Wandels in Spanien" [From 'little Ratzinger' to pioneer of change in Spain] (in German). Dom Radio. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  22. ^ San Martín, Inéz (15 June 2018). "Spanish cardinal acting to save African migrants, cites Pope Francis". Crux. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  23. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 10.10.2022" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  24. ^ Millare, Kristina (30 April 2025). "2 cardinal electors, from Spain and Kenya, will not attend upcoming conclave". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  25. ^ "Los cardenales Cañizares y Puljiç no participarán en el cónclave por motivos de salud" (in Spanish). InfoCatólica. 23 April 2025.
  26. ^ "El cardenal Cañizares, hospitalizado debido a su "delicado estado de salud"". El Mundo (in Spanish). 7 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
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