CV NEWS FEED // The Press office of the Holy See announced this week that Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, 79, the prelate that mysteriously disappeared and reappeared after a nation-wide police mobilization in Panama.
As CatholicVote previously reported, Cardinal Lacunza’s disappearance was reported by local news organizations and confirmed on February 1 by the Panamanian Bishops Conference. But later in the same day, Panama’s National Police announced “the Cardinal, who was missing for two days, was found.”
Lacunza, the Bishop of David, in Western Panama, was created a cardinal in February 2015 as part of Pope Francis’ policy of naming cardinals in the “peripheries.” He was the first Panamanian and first member of The Agustinian order (established in 1588) to be named a cardinal.
Although he had reached the age of retirement, Pope Francis assured him that he would remain an active bishop as long as his health permitted.
During a Sunday Mass following his reappearance, Lacunza told David Catholics “I know you had a bad time. Some shed abundant tears. I don’t deserve them, I tell you sincerely, but I appreciate them. And above all, I appreciate your prayers.”
“It was a stupid mischief [‘trastada’ in Spanish]. The fact is I didn’t do them when I was 15 years old and now I’ve done it when I am going to turn 80. How outrageous! The older you are, the more stupid,” he added, without explaining his disappearance.
“I thank you for all the love and all the prayers on my behalf. A thousand apologies and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your concern,” he said.
