Corripio Ahumada, Ernesto

Cardinal Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, Archbishop emeritus of Mexico, was born on 29 June 1919 in Tampico. On 30 December 1930, when he was just 11 years old, he entered the Seminary of Puebla de Los Angeles where he studied humanities and philosophy.

In 1935 his Bishop sent him for ecclesiastical studies to the Latin American College in Rome. Two years afterwards, in 1937, he graduated in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He obtained at the same University a doctorate in theology (1942), canon law (1944) and church history (1945).

Meanwhile, on 25 October 1942, he had been ordained priest. He stayed in Rome almost to the end of the second World War, sharing the risks and hardships of war with its citizens.

In January 1945 he left Rome to return home. Almost immediately he undertook his priestly ministry in his native town, Tampico, living in the local Seminary, of which he was successively Bursar and Assistant Rector, teacher of theology and philosophy. In 1950 he became Secretary of the Curia.

Nominated by Pius XII, on 27 December 1952, titular bishop of Zapara and auxiliary of the Bishop of Tampico, he received episcopal ordination on 19 March of the following year.

Bishop of Tampico from 25 February 1956, he governed the diocese of his native town for 11 years. Attended the Second Vatican Council, 1962-1965.

On 25 July 1967 he was nominated by Paul VI Archbishop of Antequerra (Oaxaca), and it was in this period that his gifts as an evangelizer were particularly revealed. Thanks to him, many missionary posts arose in the territory of the diocese. On his suggestion, the religious based their work among the natives not only on the message of salvation but also on an intense programme of human advancement and cultural development.

President of the Mexican Episcopal Conference from 1967 to 1973, on 18 March 1976 he was nominated by Paul VI to the archepiscopal see of Puebla de Los Angeles, and afterwards, on 19 July 1977, Archbishop of Mexico City and Primate of Mexico. He took possession of his new diocese on 25 November 1977.

Archbishop emeritus of Mexico, 29 September 1994.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of 30 June 1979, of the Title of Immacolata al Tiburtino (Mary Immaculate al Tiburtino).