Pedro Rubiano Sáenz

Pedro Rubiano Sáenz was born in Cartago, Colombia, on 13 September 1933, the fourth of six sons born to Pedro Rubiano and Tulia Sáenz. He attended the Colegio de María Auxiliadora and the Colegio Ramírez, then the Diocesan College of Santa Teresita in the Bitaco neighborhood, and then at the minor seminaries of Cali and Popayán. He studied at the seminary in Popayán and the Université Laval in Quebec, where he earned his licentiate in sacred theology. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Cali on 8 July 1956 from Bishop Julio Caicedo y Téllez. He then studied at Catholic University in Washington and at the Institute for Social Studies of Santiago de Chile. He fulfilled a variety of pastoral assignments in the 15 years following his ordination, including chaplain of the Marco Fidel Suárez Military Aviation School, the Santa Librada national school, and the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios clinic. He was pastor and founder of the parishes of San Pedro Claver and Nuestra Señora de la Providencia.{{cn|date=April 2024}} By 1971 he was pastoral vicar of the archdiocese and vice-rector of the Major School "Santiago di Cali".{{cn|date=April 2024}}

On 2 June 1971, Pope Paul VI named him bishop of Cúcuta.{{cite book | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-63-1971-ocr.pdf | date = 1971 | volume = LXIII | page = 705 |access-date = 16 April 2024 |title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis}} He received his episcopal consecration on 11 July 1972 in Cali from Archbishop Angelo Palmas, Nuncio to Colombia. Pope John Paul II appointed him Coadjutor Archbishop of Cali on 26 March 1983{{cite book | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-75-1983-I-ocr.pdf | date = 1983 | volume = LXXV | page = 395 | access-date =16 April 2024 | title =Acta Apostolicae Sedis}} and he succeeded as archbishop there on 7 February 1985.

From 1983 to 1989 he was vice president of the International Commission for Migration and Refugees based in Geneva.{{cite news | access-date = 17 April 2024 | language = es | url = https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/murio-cardenal-pedro-rubiano-saenz-en-bogota-IB24256916 | work = El Colombiano | title = Atención: falleció el cardenal Pedro Rubiano Sáenz a sus 91 años | date = 15 April 2024 | archive-date= 15 April 2024 | url-status= live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240415175449/https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/murio-cardenal-pedro-rubiano-saenz-en-bogota-IB24256916}} From April 1990 to January 1991, he was apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Popayán.

Pope John Paul transferred him to the metropolitan see of Bogotá on 27 December 1994.{{cite book | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-87-1995-ocr.pdf | date = 1995 | volume = LXXXVII | page = 213 | access-date =16 April 2024 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis}} He was installed there on 11 February 1995. On 12 October 1995, he was made a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants.{{cite book | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-87-1995-ocr.pdf | date = 1995 | volume = LXXXVII | page = 1168 | access-date =16 April 2024 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis}} One of his most significant initiatives was the creation of the Archdiocesan Food Bank, which continued to operate as long as he lived.

On 4 August 1995, he established the National Conciliation Commission in the hope that a broad and diverse coalition might help resolve Colombia's political divisions and end armed conflict.

Rubiano Sáenz was elected to a three-year term as president of the Colombian Bishops Conference in 1990 and re-elected in 1993.

Pope John Paul made Rubiano Sáenz Cardinal-Priest of Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo in the consistory of 21 February 2001.{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/it/homilies/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20010221_concistoro.html |title=Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico per la creazione dei nuovi Cardinali |author=Pope John Paul II |date=21 February 2001 |website=The Holy See |publisher=Libreria Editrica Vaticana |at=Assegnazione dei Titoli o delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali |language=it |trans-title=Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals |type=Homily |access-date=16 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120195328/https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/it/homilies/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20010221_concistoro.html |archive-date=20 November 2019 |url-status=live}} He was made a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education on 15 May 2001{{cite press release | access-date = 16 April 2024 | language = it | date = 15 May 2001 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 15.05.2001 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2001/05/15/0275/00772.html}} and his membership on the Pontifical Council for Migrants was renewed on 18 May 2001.{{cite press release | access-date = 16 April 2024 | language = it | date = 18 May 2001 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 18.05.2001 | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2001/05/18/0286/00816.html}}

In 2002, he was elected to another term as president of the Colombian Bishops Conference. He was also president of the economic committee of the Episcopal Council of Latin America (CELAM) from May 2003 to July 2007.

In 2003, he oversaw the creation of three new suffragan dioceses from the territory of the Archdiocese of Bigotá: Engativá, Fontibón and Soacha.

Rubiano Sáenz was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.{{cite web |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/04/18/0225/00461.html |title=Elenco degli Em.mi Cardinali che entrano in Conclave secondo il loro rispettivo ordine di precedenza (Vescovi, Presbiteri, Diaconi) |date=18 April 2005 |website=Sala Stampa della Santa Sede |language=it |trans-title=List of the Eminent Cardinals entering into Conclave according to their respective order of precedence (Bishops, Priests, Deacons) |access-date=16 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309025237/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/04/18/0225/00461.html |archive-date=9 March 2014 |url-status=live}}

In 2006, as Colombia's Constitutional Court considered an abortion rights case, Rubiano Sáenz warned of the danger posed by a Latin American country breaking from the region's universal ban on abortion. He wrote: "The loss of one country will substantially weaken the pro-life fabric of all of Latin America. What begins as a small hole will end as a huge tear allowing much evil to come in."{{Cite web |url=http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_91__article_3451.htm |title=Cardinal Pleads for Worldwide Prayers to Protect Colombia from Abortion |access-date=3 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120223842/http://cardinalrating.com/cardinal_91__article_3451.htm |archive-date=20 November 2010 |url-status=dead }} In May, after the Court ruled that abortion could not be punished in certain cases, he wrote that "decriminalizing abortion, even in the cases indicated by the ruling of the Constitutional Court, does not change either the seriousness of the fact or the moral judgment of abortion.... What is legal is not always moral."{{Cite web |url=http://www.cardinalrating.com/cardinal_91__article_3922.htm |title=El aborto se sanciona con excomunión, advierte Cardenal colombiano |access-date=3 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120223136/http://cardinalrating.com/cardinal_91__article_3922.htm |archive-date=20 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}

On 31 January 2008, he mocked the idea that achieving peace between the government of Colombia and the FARC rebels required the intervention of Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez. He said: "The only thing left is to kneel down before Chavez! I believe we Colombians have dignity."{{cite news | publisher= Catholic News Agency | access-date = 17 April 2024 | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/11684/colombian-cardinal-chavez-is-not-necessary-to-achieve-agreement-with-farc | title = Colombian cardinal: Chavez is not necessary to achieve agreement with FARC | date = 4 February 2008 }}

In July 2009, he advised Colombian president Álvaro Uribe against seeking a third term as president. He said: "Two terms is a lot. He has carried out important work for the good of the country and for peace. It would be better for him if after finishing his second term he left office and later on ran again."{{cite news | publisher = Catholic News Agency | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/16501/colombian-bishops-call-on-uribe-to-consider-not-running-for-re-election | access-date = 17 April 2024 | title = Colombian bishops call on Uribe to consider not running for re-election | date = 8 July 2009}}

Pope Benedict accepted Rubiano Sáenz's resignation as Archbishop of Bogotá on 8 July 2010,{{cite press release | access-date = 16 April 2024 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2010/07/08/0452/01032.html | language = it | date = 8 July 2010 | title = Rinunce e Nomine, 08.07.2010}} three years after he had submitted it.

Rubiano Sáenz was apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until the installation of his successor, Archbishop Rubén Salazar Gómez, on 13 August 2010.

Rubiano Sáenz died at his residence in Bogotá on 15 April 2024 at the age of 91.{{cite news |title=Murió el cardenal Pedro Rubiano Sáenz |url=https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/nacion/murio-el-cardenal-pedro-rubiano-saenz |access-date=15 April 2024|language=es|work=El Nuevo Siglo |date=15 April 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240415175344/https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/nacion/murio-el-cardenal-pedro-rubiano-saenz | archive-date=15 April 2024 | url-status=live}}

Rubiano Sáenz was honoured with the following:

• File:Order of Boyacá - Silver Cross (Colombia) - ribbon bar.png Order of Boyacá
• File:SMOM-s.svg Sovereign Military Order of Malta
• File:OPMM-co.svg Order pro merito Melitensi

• Catholic Church in Colombia

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• {{cite web| access-date = 24 November 2017| title= Rubiano Sáenz Card. Pedro |publisher= Holy See Press Office | url= https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_rubiano-saenz_p.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904070602/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_rubiano-saenz_p.html }}

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{{s-bef|before=Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo}}

{{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Cúcuta|years=2 June 1971 – 26 March 1983}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Archbishop Coadjutor of Cali|years=26 March 1983 – 7 February 1985}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Archbishop of Cali| years=7 February 1985 – 27 December 1994}}

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{{s-bef|before=Mario Revollo Bravo}}

{{s-ttl|title=Archbishop of Bogotá|years=27 December 1994 – 8 July 2010}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Cardinal Priest of Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo|years=21 February 2001 – 15 April 2024}}

{{s-aft|after=Pablo Virgilio David}}

{{s-end}}

{{Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Bogotá|state=collapsed}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rubiano Saenz, Pedro}}

Category:1932 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Colombia

Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Colombia

Category:Colombian cardinals

Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Bogotá

Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II

Category:Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre

Category:People from Valle del Cauca Department

Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Cali

Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Cúcuta