José Saraiva Martins

José Saraiva Martins, CMF, GCC (born January 6, 1932) is a Portuguese Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He previously served as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
Born in Gagos de Jarmelo in Guarda, Portugal, to Antonio and Maria (née da Natividade Martins) Saraiva, he joined the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and professed his vows on August 22, 1950. Martins was ordained as a priest by Archbishop Ettore Cunial on March 16, 1957. He studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, where he earned a licentiate and a doctorate (respectively) in theology.
Martins taught metaphysics for a year in Marino, Italy, then in 1959 came to the Roman Claretianum, where he taught fundamental and sacramental theology for a decade. He became rector of the Pontifical Urbaniana University for three terms (1977-1980, 1980-1983, 1986-1988).
On May 26, 1988, he was appointed Secretary of the Curial Congregation for Catholic Education and titular archbishop of Thuburnica. He received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, with Archbishops Jan Pieter Schotte and Giovanni Battista Re serving as co-consecrators, on the following July 2 in the Basilica of Ss. XII Apostoli. On May 30, 1998, he was named Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the organization within the Roman Curia that pronounces judgments on beatifications and canonizations. Martins was created Cardinal Deacon of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of February 21, 2001. All major Vatican officials automatically lose their positions during a sede vacante, and the cardinal lost his position on April 2, 2005 on the death of the Pope. He was later confirmed to office by Pope Benedict XVI on April 21. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.
On July 8, 2008, it was announced that he would be succeeded by Angelo Amato. On February 24, 2009, he was promoted to the order of cardinal bishops, with title of the suburbicarian see of Palestrina.
==External links==
* Biography at catholic-pages.com
==Sources==
Saraiva Martins, Jose
Saraiva Martins, Jose
Saraiva Martins, José
Category:Portuguese Roman Catholics
Saraiva Martins, José
Saraiva Martins, José
Category:Cardinal-bishops of Palestrina
Category:Members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Category:Members of the Congregation for Catholic Education
Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II
de:José Saraiva Martins
fr:José Saraiva Martins
it:José Saraiva Martins
la:Iosephus Saraiva Martins
nl:José Saraiva Martins
no:José Saraiva Martins
pl:José Saraiva Martins
pt:José Saraiva Martins
ru:Сарайва Мартинш, Жозе