Antonio María Rouco Varela

thumb|Cardinal Rouco Varela.
Antonio María Rouco Varela (born August 24, 1936) is a Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Archbishop of Madrid, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1998.
==Biography==
Antonio Rouco Varela was born in Vilalba to Vicente Rouco and María Eugenia Varela, the latter of whom hailed from Bahía Blanca, Argentina. He has four siblings: Visitación, Jose, Manuel, and Eugenia. He studied at the seminary in Mondoñedo and at the Pontifical University of Salamanca (1954-1958), from where he obtained his licentiate in theology. Rouco was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Francisco Barbado y Viejo, OP, on March 28, 1959.
He then furthered his studies at the University of Munich, earning a doctorate in canon law in 1964 with a dissertation on church-state relations in 16th century Spain. He held a series of academic posts, teaching fundamental theology, canon law, and ecclesiastical law at the seminary of Mondoñedo, and the University of Munich. In 1976 he was appointed titular Bishop of Gergi and Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Compostela. Named Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela in 1984, he played a key role in the hosting of the 4th World Youth Day in 1989. Five years later, in 1994, he was named Archbishop of Madrid.
Pope John Paul II created him Cardinal Priest of S. Lorenzo in Damaso in the consistory of 21 February 1998. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.
==Views==
===Church architecture===
He has been described as "ultra-conservative" for his plan to build improve Church architecture in Madrid.The Telegraph. Church plans for 'mini Vatican' in Madrid threaten Goya landscape 10 March 2009
===Abortion===
He has opposed plans by the Spanish left-wing government to remove remaining restrictions to abortion procedures.Cardinalrating.com
===Neocatechumenal Way===
Cardinal Rouco Varela is also a known supporter of the Neocatechumenal Way and has co-ordinated massive rallies in December 31 of 2007 and 2008 along with its founder, Kiko Arguello in events known as "family days" promoting the Christian model of the family.
==References==
==External links==
* Biography at catholic-pages.com
Category:1936 births
Category:Living people
Category:Spanish cardinals
Category:Spanish Roman Catholics
Category:Spanish archbishops
Category:Madrilenian people
Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops
Category:University of Munich alumni
Category:Knights Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
Category:Members of the Apostolic Signatura
Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II
de:Antonio María Rouco Varela
es:Antonio María Rouco Varela
fr:Antonio María Rouco Varela
gl:Antonio María Rouco Varela
it:Antonio María Rouco Varela
la:Antonius María Rouco Varela
nl:Antonio María Rouco Varela
no:Antonio María Rouco Varela
pl:Antonio María Rouco Varela
pt:Antonio María Rouco Varela
ru:Роуко Варела, Антонио Мария
fi:Antonio María Rouco Varela