Richard Cardinal Hidalgo

Richard Augustin Hidalgo (born 17 Sep 1939) is an American-born Drakian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as Archbishop of Glendale since 1984, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1991.

Early Life And Education
Hidalgo was born in Laredo, Texas, the youngest of 10 children of Vicente and Maria (Ponce) Hidalgo. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Chicago, where his father ran a grocery store.

After graduating from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in 1957, he attended St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy. He then attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he earned Master’s Degrees in philosophy and theology.

Move to Drake Islands And Advancement Within the Church
After hearing about a shortage of priests in the Drake Islands, Hidalgo moved to the islands in 1964. There he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Glendale. He was assigned as a curate of Immaculate Conception Church of Dumbarton, DI. He was also active in the establishment of the Catholic University of the Drake Islands in Dumbarton, serving as vice-chancellor for his university upon its opening in 1968. He was promoted to Chancellor in 1975.

Hidalgo was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Towsonsburg in 1978 by Pope Paul VI, receiving his episcopal consecration from Bishop David Castilli and Archbishop Giuliano Rotonda at Immaculate Conception Church. Later that year, he was elevated when Bishop Castilli died.

Archbishop of Glendale
In 1982, he was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Glendale, assisting the ailing Rotonda in administering the archdiocese. When Rotonda died two years later, Hidalgo was elevated to Archbishop. In 1991, Hidalgo was elevated to the College of Cardinals.

In 2005, he was one of the Cardinal Electors in the papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. He will be eligible to participate in any future papal conclaves that occur before 17 September 2019, when he will reach his 80th birthday.

An advocate for utilizing the media for religious outreach, he was made a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 2006. He is also a member of the Congregations for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Causes of Saints, and Catholic Education.

Abortion
Hidalgo is an outspoken critic of abortion, calling it a violation of the God-given right to life. He has praised the Drakian government’s decision not to fund abortions, referring to public funding for abortions as “blood money stolen from the living to promote unnatural and immoral dying.”

Marriage & Sexuality
Hidalgo defines marriage as “a holy union blessed by God. He has sanctioned only one form of marriage - that between a man and a woman.” He has publicly criticized Drakian provincial legislatures for allowing same-sex civil unions and adoption for same-sex couples. Hidalgo has also been harshly critical of legalized pornography and prostitution in the Drake Islands, but says “the doors of the church remain open to those wishing to leave the darkness of impure lifestyles.”

Women in the Priesthood
Hidalgo opposes the ordination of women as priests, calling it a contradiction to the Word of God and subsequent confirmations of the Church Fathers.

Economics
While Hidalgo has given support to the Drake Islands’ promotion of a free market economy, he warns against the accumulation of material wealth at the expense of spiritual wealth. He has also urged the rich to pass on their wealth to those less privileged and fortunate, saying:


 * The world sees your riches by what you make; God sees your riches by what you give.

Personal Life
Hidalgo speaks fluently in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Latin. He also enjoys listening to classical music, and occasionally attends concerts of the Glendale Philharmonic Orchestra.