Luis Aponte Martínez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Luis Aponte Martínez |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of San Juan | |
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| Archdiocese | San Juan |
| Enthroned | January 15, 1965 |
| Reign ended | March 26, 1999 |
| Predecessor | James Peter Davis |
| Successor | Roberto González Nieves |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Madre della Provvidenza a Monte |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | April 10, 1950 |
| Consecration | October 12, 1960 by Francis Spellman |
| Created Cardinal | March 5, 1973 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 4, 1922 Lajas, Puerto Rico |
| Died | April 10, 2012 (aged 89) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Buried | Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Previous post | Bishop of Ponce (1963–1964) |
| Motto | In virtute Dei |
| Coat of arms | |
Luis Aponte Martínez (born August 4, 1922 – died April 10, 2012) was an important leader in the Catholic Church from Puerto Rico. He was the Archbishop of San Juan from 1965 to 1999. He was also the only person from Puerto Rico to ever become a Cardinal in the Catholic Church. Cardinals help choose new popes, and he helped choose two popes in 1978: Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II.
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Early Life and Education
Luis Aponte Martínez was born in Lajas, Puerto Rico. His parents were Santiago Evangelista Aponte and Rosa María Martínez. He grew up in a very large family. He was the eighth of 18 children.
When he was young, Luis served as an altar boy in his hometown for many years. He studied at the Seminary of San Ildefonso in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Later, he went to Boston, Massachusetts, to study at Saint John's Seminary. He also attended Boston College and earned his doctorate from the seminary at Saint Leo University in Florida.
Becoming a Priest and Bishop
Luis Aponte Martínez became a priest on April 10, 1950. He was ordained in San German, Puerto Rico, by Bishop James Edward McManus of the Diocese of Ponce. For five years, from 1950 to 1955, he worked as a pastor in different towns within the diocese.
In 1955, he became the bishop's secretary and helped manage Catholic schools for the diocese. He also served as a chaplain in the Puerto Rico National Guard. In 1957, he became the chancellor of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce.
On October 12, 1960, Aponte Martínez became a bishop. He was the second person born in Puerto Rico to become a bishop in almost 150 years. Pope John XXIII appointed him as an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Ponce.
In 1963, he became the coadjutor bishop of Ponce. This meant he would take over as bishop when the current one retired. He became the Bishop of Ponce on November 18, 1963. Then, on November 4, 1964, Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Archbishop of San Juan.
Becoming a Cardinal
| Styles of Luis Aponte Martínez |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | San Juan (Emeritus) |
On March 5, 1973, Pope Paul VI made Luis Aponte Martínez the very first Cardinal from Puerto Rico. He was given the title of cardinal-priest of Santa Maria della Provvidenza a Monteverde.
As a Cardinal, he held important leadership roles. He was the president of the board of directors for the Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He also led the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference and the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM).
In 1984, Cardinal Aponte helped organize and welcome Pope John Paul II when he visited Puerto Rico. This was a very special event for the island.
Cardinal Aponte also helped the church buy a television station, a radio station, and a weekly newspaper called El Visitante (which means The Visitor). These media outlets helped share the church's message across Puerto Rico.
Cardinal Aponte retired as Archbishop of San Juan in May 1999. He had served as archbishop for almost 30 years. In 2005, he was involved in preparing for the Papal Conclave (where a new pope is chosen). However, he was 82 years old at the time, and cardinals over 80 cannot vote for a new pope.
In 2006, he wrote a book about his life called Unde hoc mihi.
Death and Legacy
Cardinal Aponte passed away on April 10, 2012, in San Juan after a long illness. He was 89 years old. His death happened on the 62nd anniversary of the day he became a priest.
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuno, announced five days of official mourning for the cardinal. His body was taken to churches in Lajas, San German, Ponce, and Santurce. This allowed many people to pay their respects.
A special Mass was held on April 16 in the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista in Old San Juan. Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo led the Mass, along with other bishops from Puerto Rico. Cardinal Aponte was buried in the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista.
See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of Puerto Rico
