{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Short description|Mexican cardinal (1931–2019)}} {{family name hatnote|Obeso|Rivera|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific_prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Sergio Obeso Rivera | honorific_suffix = | title = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Xalapa|Archbishop of Xalapa]] | image = Sergio Obeso Rivera.jpg | image_size = 220px | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | church = [[Roman Catholic Church]] | archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Xalapa|Xalapa]] | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = Xalapa | elected = | appointed = 12 March 1979 | term = | enthroned = | term_start = | term_end = 10 April 2007 | quashed = <!-- or | retired = --> | predecessor = Emilio Abascal y Salmerón | successor = Hipólito Reyes Larios | opposed = | other_post = [[San Leone I|Cardinal Priest of San Leone I]] (2018–2019) <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 31 October 1954 | ordained_by = [[Clemente Micara]] | consecration = 21 June 1971 | consecrated_by = Emilio Abascal y Salmerón | cardinal = 28 June 2018 | created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Francis]] | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = Sergio Obeso Rivera | birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|10|31|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Xalapa]], [[Veracruz]], [[Mexico]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|08|11|1931|10|31|df=y}} | death_place = [[Coatepec, Veracruz|Coatepec]], Veracruz, Mexico | buried = [[Xalapa Cathedral]] | tomb = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = | religion = | residence = | parents = | spouse = <!-- or | partner = --> | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Papantla|Bishop of Papantla]] (1971–74)|Titular Archbishop of Uppenna (1974–79)|Coadjutor Archbishop of Xalapa (1974–79)|[[Episcopal Conference of Mexico|President of the Mexican Episcopal Conference]] (1982–88; 1994–97)}} | education = | alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|[[Pontifical Gregorian University]]|[[Pontifical Latin American College]]}} | motto = {{lang|la|Virtus in infirmitate}}<br>(Power in weakness) {{Bibleverse|2 Cor|12:9}} | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Sergio Obeso Rivera.svg | coat_of_arms_alt = | module = | other = }} '''Sergio Obeso Rivera''' ({{IPA|es|ˈseɾxjo oˈβeso riˈβeɾa}}; 31 October 1931 – 11 August 2019) was a Mexican [[prelate]] of the [[Catholic Church]]. He was [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Xalapa|Archbishop of Xalapa]] from 1979 to 2007 after serving as [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Papantla|Bishop of Papantla]] from 1971 to 1974 and then as [[Coadjutor bishop|coadjutor]] in Xalapa from 1974 to 1979. [[Pope Francis]] created him a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] on 28 June 2018.
==Biography== Sergio Obeso Rivera was born in [[Xalapa]], Mexico on 31 October 1931.<ref name=pr20180520/> His father was a native of [[Asturias]], Spain, and his mother was from [[Las Vigas de Ramírez, Veracruz|Las Vigas de Ramírez]], where he was raised.<ref name=historico>{{cite news|title=Histórico: Sergio Obeso, cardenal; México ha tenido 12 cardenales| url=https://www.diariodexalapa.com.mx/analisis/historico-sergio-obeso-cardenal-mexico-ha-tenido-12-cardenales-1705125.html| accessdate=22 May 2018|date=22 May 2018 |language=es | work= Diario de Xalapa}}</ref> He entered the seminary in Xalapa on 23 January 1944<ref name=nombran/> and was ordained in Rome on 31 October 1954 and while earning his doctorate in theology at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]].<ref name=pr20180520>{{cite press release | publisher = Holy See Press Office | language = it| url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/05/20/0374/00807.html | accessdate = 20 May 2018 | date = 20 May 2018 |title = Annuncio di Concistoro il 29 giugno per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 20.05.2018 }}</ref> Until 1971 he held various positions at the Xalapa seminary, including prefect of philosophy, spiritual director, and rector.<ref name=nombran/>
On 30 April 1971, [[Pope Paul VI]] appointed him Bishop of Papantla<ref name=pr20180520/> and he was consecrated a bishop on 29 July.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_obesorivera_s.html|title=Obeso Rivera Card. Sergio|access-date=12 August 2019|publisher=[[Holy See Press Office]]}}</ref>
On 18 January 1974, Pope Paul appointed him titular archbishop of [[Uppenna]] and Archbishop Coadjutor of Xalapa, and on 12 March 1979 he became Archbishop of Xalapa.<ref name=pr20180520/>
He was elected to the three three-year terms as president of the [[Episcopal Conference of Mexico]] in 1982, 1985, and 1994.<ref name=nombran>{{cite news|last1=Paredes|first1=Yhadira|title=Nombran a Sergio Obeso Rivera, arzobispo emérito de Xalapa, nuevo Cardenal de México|url=http://eldemocrata.com/sergio-obeso-rivera-arzobispo-emerito-xalapa-nuevo-cardenal-mexico/|accessdate=22 May 2018|work=El Democrata|date=20 May 2018|language=es|archive-date=23 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011204/http://eldemocrata.com/sergio-obeso-rivera-arzobispo-emerito-xalapa-nuevo-cardenal-mexico/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also president of the Conference's Commission for Social Pastoral Care in 2002 when it called for reform of Mexico's Law of Indian Rights and Culture in a statement that said: "It is not possible to continue to live in a Mexico divided by racism and discrimination. The Indian peoples justly deserve the recognition of their cultures, of their way of seeing things, and of their autonomy."<ref>{{cite news|title=Mexican Bishops Call for National Dialogue in Favor of Indians|url=https://zenit.org/articles/mexican-bishops-call-for-national-dialogue-in-favor-of-indians/|accessdate=22 May 2018|work=Zenit|date=10 September 2002}}</ref>
[[Pope Benedict XVI]] accepted his resignation on 10 April 2007.<ref>{{cite press release | url= http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2007/04/10/0186/00508.html | title= Rinunce e Nomine, 10.04.2007 | publisher= Holy See Press Office | accessdate= 22 May 2018 | date= 10 April 2007 | language=it }}</ref>
[[Pope Francis]] made Obeso a [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinal]] on 28 June 2018, assigning him the [[titular church]] of [[San Leone I]].<ref>{{cite press release |accessdate = 28 May 2018 | date= 28 May 2018| language = it| url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/06/28/0495/01091.html |publisher= Holy See Press Office | title= Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico: Assegnazione dei Titoli, 28.06.2018 }}</ref> He took possession of his titular church at a Mass on 1 July.<ref>{{cite press release|accessdate=2 July 2018|date=29 June 2018|language=it| url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2018/06/29/0498/01096.html| publisher=Holy See Press Office|title=Avviso dell'Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche, 29.06.2018}}</ref>
In August 2018, Obeso said that while some accusations made by victims of [[Catholic Church sexual abuse cases]] are valid, about those who make accusations of [[pedophilia]] against [[Catholic cleric]]s some should be "ashamed" to point their finger and "should have a little pity because they have tails that are stepped on, very long."<ref>{{cite news |quote= 'deberían tener tantita pena porque suelen tener una cola que les pisen, muy larga' | title=El cardenal Obeso ridiculiza a las víctimas de abusos: "Tienen cola que les pisen" |url=http://www.periodistadigital.com/religion/america/2018/08/16/religion-iglesia-america-mexico-arzobispo-emerito-xalapa-cardenal-obeso-ridiculiza-victimas-abusos-tienen-cola-que-les-pisen.shtml |accessdate=21 August 2018 |work=Religion Digital |date=16 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-americas/2018/08/21/mexican-cardinal-says-abuse-victims-should-think-about-skeletons-in-their-own-closet/ |title=Mexican cardinal says abuse victims should think about skeletons in their own closet |last=Martín |first=Inés San |date=21 August 2018 |publisher=Crux |access-date=21 August 2018 |archive-date=21 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821125133/https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-americas/2018/08/21/mexican-cardinal-says-abuse-victims-should-think-about-skeletons-in-their-own-closet/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
He died on 11 August 2019 at his home in [[Coatepec, Veracruz|Coatepec]].<ref>{{cite news | language= es |agency = ACI Prensa | url = https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/fallece-cardenal-que-presidio-3-veces-el-episcopado-mexicano-48529| title = Fallece Cardenal que presidió 3 veces el Episcopado Mexicano| date= 11 August 2019 | access-date = 12 August 2019 | first = Walter | last = Sánchez Silva}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/nacional/cardenal-sergio-obeso-rivera-fallece-en-veracruz | language = es | work = El Financiero | access-date = 13 August 2019 | date = 11 August 2019 | first = Itzel | last = Villa |title = Cardenal Sergio Obeso Rivera fallece en Veracruz }}</ref>
==See also== * [[Cardinals created by Francis]] * [[Catholic Church in Mexico]]
==References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commonscat}}
* {{cite web| accessdate = 28 June 2018| title= Obeso Rivera Card. Sergio |publisher= [[Holy See Press Office]] | url= http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_obesorivera_s.html | url-status=live | archive-date= 28 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180628212703/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_obesorivera_s.html }} * [http://www.arquidiocesisdexalapa.com/ Archdiocese of Xalapa] {{in lang|es}}
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=Alfonso Sánchez Tinoco}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Papantla|Bishop of Papantla]]|years=30 April 1971{{spaced ndash}}15 January 1974}} {{s-aft|after=Genaro Alamilla Arteaga}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Emilio Abascal y Salmerón}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Xalapa|Archbishop of Xalapa]]|years=12 March 1979{{spaced ndash}}10 April 2007}} {{s-aft|after=Hipólito Reyes Larios}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Karl Lehmann]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[San Leone I|Cardinal-Priest of San Leone I]]|years=28 June 2018{{spaced ndash}}11 August 2019}} {{s-aft|after=[[Cristóbal López Romero]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Cardinals created by Francis}} {{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Mexico}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obeso Rivera, Sergio}} [[Category:1931 births]] [[Category:2019 deaths]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Paul VI]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Francis]] [[Category:People from Xalapa]] [[Category:Mexican people of Spanish descent]] [[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]] [[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Mexico]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Mexico]] [[Category:Mexican cardinals]] [[Category:Cardinal-priests of San Leone I]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Papantla]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Xalapa]]