Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga is a prominent member of the Curia and the coordinator of the Council of Cardinals. As he celebrates his 80th birthday, he is no longer an elector and loses the right to vote in a future conclave.
Cardinal Maradiaga was born in Honduras. He joined the Salesians at 19, was ordained a priest at 28 and was named bishop at only 39. In the Consistory of 2001, at the age of 59, Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal.
The cardinal has played an active role in Pope Francis' papacy. Before the new Apostolic Constitution, Praedicate Evangelium, was published, he revealed some of its details to journalists.
CARD. ÓSCAR R. MARADIAGA
Coordinator, Council of Cardinals
There is no reason for all the dicasteries to be headed by a cardinal or a bishop. They can also be directed by a laywoman, by a layman or simply by a religious man or woman.
As of today, the College of Cardinals is composed of 224 cardinals. 125 are electors and 99 are not eligible to vote in a conclave.
RM
TR: KG
