“Disappeared” Cardinal resigns

Cardinal José Luis Lacunza has resigned from the pastoral government of the Diocese of David, Chiriquí.

The Apostolic Nunciature explained on February 15 that Lacunza’s resignation was accepted by Pope Francis due to his age limit. Lacunza, born on February 24, 1944, is 79 years old.

According to the Vatican, a cardinal who turns 80 loses the right to participate in a Conclave as an elector. Furthermore, he must present his resignation from the high positions he holds within the church.

The Vatican named Lacunza’s replacement this Thursday: it is Brother Luis Enrique Saldaña Guerra, who until now is provincial minister of the “Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe” in Central America and Panama.

The announcement of Lacunza’s resignation comes two weeks after the prelate publicly apologized for his disappearance for more than 48 hours, keeping Panama in suspense.

On February 1, the authorities began an investigation and, in the afternoon of that same day, Lacunza was located in the district of Boquete (Chiriquí), safe and sound.

“I want to apologize and ask for your forgiveness for the upset I caused you in recent days,” the cardinal said.

“It was a stupid thing that I didn’t do when I was 15 years old and I have done it now that I am going to turn 80,” he said at a mass he celebrated  in David on February 4.