Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B., Archbishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras), was born on December 29, 1942 in Tegucigalpa. He was ordained for the Salesians on June 28, 1970 and holds a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, and a diploma in clinical psychology and psychotherapy from Leopold Franz University, Innsbruck.
He taught chemistry, physics and music at various Salesian colleges in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala and was professor of moral theology and ecclesiology at the Salesian Theological Institute, Guatemala, and rector of the Salesian Philosophical Institute in the same country.
On October 28, 1978 he was appointed titular Bishop of Pudentiana and Auxiliary of Tegucigalpa, receiving episcopal ordination on December 8.
He was promoted to Archbishop of Tegucigalpa on January 8, 1993 and was President of CELAM (1995-1999).
He is currently President of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras.
In June 2007, he was elected President of Caritas Internationalis.
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of February 21, 2001, of the Title of Santa Maria della Speranza (Our Lady of Hope).
Member of:
- Congregation for the Clergy;
- Pontifical Councils: for Justice and Peace; for Social Communications;
- Pontifical Commission for Latin America;
- Special Council for America of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.
