Spain's newest cardinal has risen rapidly through church ranks

Published: 2006-03-20

TOLEDO, Spain (CNS) -- Spain's newest and youngest cardinal has risen rapidly through the church's ranks and is viewed as a close friend and ally of Pope Benedict XVI. Spain's former ambassador to the Vatican, Carlos Abella Ramallo, sees Cardinal-designate Antonio Canizares Llovera of Toledo, 60, as a "cardinal for the people" and believes his elevation is an important signal from the pope. "The pope has wanted to offer the example of a brave shepherd who'll defend the faith and the values of our identity," Abella told La Vanguardia daily March 1. Pope Benedict "perceives that the church in Spain needs to fortify its foundations, clarify certain indecisions from past and present, and reinforce its moral leadership." On the international stage, the cardinal-designate is known for his work on the European Association of Catechists and the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which he joined in November 1995.

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