# Leopoldo Brenes

Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano (Spanish pronunciation:; born 7 March 1949) is a Nicaraguan prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Archbishop of Managua since 2005. He was made a cardinal in 2014. He was an auxiliary bishop in Managua from 1988 to 1991 and Bishop of Matagalpa from 1991 to 2005.

## Biography

Leopoldo Brenes was born in Ticuantepe on 7 March 1949 into a poor family, one of four children born to Lilliam Solórzano Aguirre and Leo Leopoldo Brenes Flores. He studied at the Rural School of Ticuantepe, the Cristóbal Rugada School of Masaya, and the Escuela Normal of Managua and then continued his secondary studies at the National Institute of Masaya and at Colegio San José de Calasanz. He then studied philosophy at the National Seminary Nuestra Señora de Fátima of Managua and theology in Mexico at the Superior Institute of Ecclesiastical Studies (ISEE). He earned a bachelor's degree in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and a licentiate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Lateran University. He was ordained a deacon on 13 January 1974.

## Priesthood

He was ordained a priest in Managua on 16 August 1974 by Miguel Obando Bravo. He then served in a number of roles, including priest in the parishes of Tisma, Las Brisas, la Asunción, and St. Pius X in Managua, and vicar for pastoral care and substitute vicar general of the Archdiocese of Managua. He was later a parish priest of Sagrada Familia, María Inmaculada, San Pío X, Espíritu Santo and Santa Rosa and San Agustín in Managua, and vicar for pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Managua and episcopal vicar for vocations and ministries.

## Bishop and archbishop

Pope John Paul II named him titular bishop of Maturba and appointed him auxiliary bishop of Managua on 13 February 1988. He was consecrated a bishop on 19 March 1988 in the cathedral of Managua by Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo, Archbishop of Managua, assisted by Paolo Giglio, apostolic nuncio to Nicaragua, and Arturo Rivera Damas, Archbishop of San Salvador. His episcopal motto is Tu me has enviado. He was made Bishop of Matagalpa on 2 November 1991 and appointed Archbishop of Managua on 1 April 2005, the day before John Paul II's death. He took possession of the see on 21 May. He received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI on 29 June 2005.
In the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua he has been president of the Commission for Vocations and Ministries; secretary general of the Episcopal Conference; president of Cáritas Nacional; president of the Commission for Catechesis; and president of the Commission for Social Communications. He has served as a delegate for the Eucharistic Congresses, delegate to the Special Assembly for Latin America of the Synod of Bishops, delegate to the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), president of the CELAM Commission Family-Life-Youth, and president of the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America (SEDAC). He has been vice-president of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua and its president, became president in 2006. He ended a term as president in 2021, when he was elected to a three-year term as vice-president.
Pope Benedict named him to a five-year term as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on 8 October 2009.

## Cardinal

On 22 February 2014, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him the titular church of San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello. He was the second Nicaraguan and the third Central American to become a cardinal. On 15 January 2014 Pope Francis confirmed his membership in the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and on 22 May 2014 made him a member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.