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Rogelio Cabrera López
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Rogelio Cabrera López

Archbishop of Monterrey
Archbishop
1951
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Ordained
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Consecrated Bishop
Monterrey
Diocese
Mexico
Country
The Life

Rogelio Cabrera López was born on 24 January 1951 in Santa Catarina, Guanajuato, in the Diocese of Querétaro. He studied Humanities, Philosophy and part of Theology at the Querétaro Seminary from 1961 to 1973, finished his theological formation in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and took a licentiate in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1975 to 1978. Besides Spanish and the classical languages, he speaks Italian and understands English, French and German. He was ordained a priest on 17 November 1978 at the parish of Santa Catarina, Guanajuato.

As a priest of Querétaro he served as Prefect of Studies of the Major Seminary from 1978 to 1984; as Diocesan Assistant of the Christian Family Movement from 1981 to 1992; as parish priest of Our Lady of Peace from 1984 to 1990; as Dean of Santo Niño de la Salud from 1985 to 1987; as Diocesan Coordinator of the Pastoral Plan from 1989 to 1996; as a member of the College of Consultors from 1989 to 1996; as parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help from 1990 to 1996; as a seminary teacher from 1978 to 1996; and as Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral from 1992 to 1996. He was President of the Episcopal Commission for Biblical Pastoral from 1997 to 2000, Vice-President of the Episcopal Conference of Mexico for the triennium 2009-2012, President of the Conference from 13 November 2018 for the triennium 2018-2021, president of the economic council of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) from 15 May 2019, and a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America from 10 March 2021; he took part in the Synod of Bishops in Rome in November 2012. In February 2026 he was named a member of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

He was appointed Bishop of Tacámbaro on 29 April 1996 and consecrated bishop on 30 May 1996. He was appointed Bishop of Tapachula on 16 July 2001, Bishop of Tuxtla Gutiérrez on 11 September 2004, and first Archbishop of Tuxtla Gutiérrez on 25 November 2006, when the diocese was raised to an archdiocese. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Monterrey on 3 October 2012, and he began his episcopal ministry in the archdiocese on 5 December 2012 with a celebration in the Arena Monterrey. He has also served as apostolic administrator of Tampico from 2018 to 2019, of Ciudad Victoria in 2021, and of Nuevo Laredo from 2023 to 2026.

Major Works & Initiatives
El Sacerdote, Rostro y Corazón de Jesús
V Carta Pastoral, Prot. 249/2018, Monterrey, 28 March 2018, addressed to the priests, consecrated, deacons and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Monterrey.
IX Carta Pastoral con motivo de la Coronación Pontificia de la imagen de la Virgen de Guadalupe venerada en su Basílica de Monterrey
Prot. 670/2023, Monterrey, 6 December 2023. The letter cites the VIII Carta Pastoral, on his 25 years as bishop, as its predecessor.
Y Acampó Entre Nosotros
X Carta Pastoral, Prot. 30/2025, for the Jubilee Year of the Incarnation 2025.
In His Own Words
Hoy quiero invitarte, con esta mi Quinta Carta Pastoral, a renovar tu compromiso, a recuperar aquella motivación para volverla fresca y lozana
In his V Carta Pastoral, 'El Sacerdote, Rostro y Corazón de Jesús,' Prot. 249/2018, Monterrey, 28 March 2018, section 3.
Estoy muy contento de poder escribirles esta IX Carta Pastoral en el marco de un hecho que llenará de gracia y bendición a nuestra Iglesia y comunidad
In his IX Carta Pastoral, on the Pontifical Coronation of the Guadalupe image in her Monterrey basilica, Prot. 670/2023, Monterrey, 6 December 2023, section 1.
Dios no solo se acerca, sino que 'acampa' y con ello se abaja, haciéndose vulnerable con esto al rechazo humano.
In his X Carta Pastoral, 'Y Acampó Entre Nosotros,' Prot. 30/2025, for the Jubilee Year of the Incarnation 2025, section 19.
The Old Mass, See by See
Nuevo Laredo2023-11-08 – 2026-01-14administratorNo act of his own
What he inheritedNo provision for the 1962 Missal from the Nuevo Laredo administration is established in the record. The administration was concurrent with the Monterrey tenure.
Since the SSPX decree of 2 July 2026: No statement recorded as of 2026-10-28.
Reviewed 2026-10-28Confidence: medium
Ciudad Victoria2021-03-30 – 2021-11-17administratorNo act of his own
What he inheritedNo provision for the 1962 Missal from the Ciudad Victoria administration is established in the record. The administration was concurrent with the Monterrey tenure.
Since the SSPX decree of 2 July 2026: No statement recorded as of 2026-10-28.
Reviewed 2026-10-28Confidence: medium
Tampico2018-07-20 – 2019-07-05administrator
Held before Traditionis Custodes; no record on the old Mass falls in this tenure.
Monterrey2012-12-05 – presentNo act of his own
What he inheritedNo provision for the 1962 Missal inherited from José Francisco Robles Ortega is established in the record.
Since the SSPX decree of 2 July 2026: No statement recorded as of 2026-10-28.
Reviewed 2026-10-28Confidence: medium
Tuxtla Gutiérrez2004-09-11 – 2012-12-05
Held before Traditionis Custodes; no record on the old Mass falls in this tenure.
Tapachula2001-07-16 – 2004-09-11
Held before Traditionis Custodes; no record on the old Mass falls in this tenure.
Tacámbaro1996-05-30 – 2001-07-16
Held before Traditionis Custodes; no record on the old Mass falls in this tenure.
Domus Dei’s Verdict
The Bishop & the Mass of Ages
No governing act of his own found
References & Further Reading
1.
Monseñor Rogelio Cabrera López — Catedral Metropolitana de MonterreyBorn 24 January 1951, Santa Catarina, Guanajuato; Querétaro Seminary 1961-1973, Gregorian, Biblical Institute 1975-1978; priest 17 November 1978; Querétaro offices 1978-1996; Tacámbaro appointed 29 April 1996, consecrated 30 May 1996; Tapachula 16 July 2001; Tuxtla Gutiérrez 11 September 2004; Archbishop of Tuxtla 25 November 2006; CEM Vice-President 2009-2012; Monterrey appointed 3 October 2012, ministry began 5 December 2012, Arena Monterrey; CEM President 13 November 2018; CELAM economic council 15 May 2019; Pontifical Commission for Latin America 10 March 2021. The Catedral biography governs formation dates; the Spanish Wikipedia body text gives Querétaro 1961-1969 and Biblical Institute 1979-1981, which postdate his 1978 ordination and are rejected.
2.
Rogelio Cabrera López — Wikipedia · 2026Administrator tenures: Tampico 20 July 2018-5 July 2019, Ciudad Victoria 30 March 2021-17 November 2021, Nuevo Laredo 8 November 2023-14 January 2026; Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development member, 12 February 2026. Motto Haec est victoria fides nostra is Wikipedia-only and is held, not carried in the bio. Its infobox gives Tacámbaro from 30 April 1996 and its body text gives the Tuxtla archbishop year as 2007; the Catedral biography governs both (29 April 1996 appointment; 25 November 2006 elevation).
3.
Diócesis de Victoria — Diocese of Ciudad VictoriaGonzález Sánchez resignation accepted 30 March 2021; Cabrera López named administrator apostolic 'a partir de ese momento'; Tamez Villarreal appointed (announced 23 September 2021) and began his episcopal ministry 17 November 2021.
4.
Year 2018, July, Bishop Events — Catholic-Hierarchy · 201820 July 2018: Cabrera López appointed apostolic administrator of Tampico.
5.
Year 2019, July, Bishop Events — Catholic-Hierarchy · 20195 July 2019: Cabrera López ceased as apostolic administrator of Tampico; Álvarez Cano installed at Tampico the same day.
6.
El Sacerdote, Rostro y Corazón de Jesús — Rogelio Cabrera López · Departamento de Diálogo DEDIIRCEC (Archdiocese of Monterrey) · 2018Prot. 249/2018, 28 March 2018; the letter calls itself 'esta mi Quinta Carta Pastoral'.
7.
IX Carta Pastoral con motivo de la Coronación Pontificia de la imagen de la Virgen de Guadalupe venerada en su Basílica de Monterrey — Rogelio Cabrera López · Archdiocese of Monterrey · 2023Prot. 670/2023, Monterrey, 6 December 2023; cites the VIII Carta Pastoral (25 years as bishop) as predecessor.
8.
Y Acampó Entre Nosotros — Rogelio Cabrera López · Archdiocese of Monterrey · 2025Prot. 30/2025, X Carta Pastoral for the Jubilee Year of the Incarnation 2025.
9.
Bishop Events, 2026 — Catholic-Hierarchy · 2026Spine. 14 January 2026 block: 'Ceased Rogelio Cabrera Lopez, Apostolic Administrator of Nuevo Laredo' and 'Ordained Bishop Luis Carlos Lerma Martinez, Bishop of Nuevo Laredo.' Upgrades the Nuevo Laredo administration end from Wikipedia-only to spine-plus-newsletter corroboration (see also the San Antonio newsletter below).
10.
The New Messenger, 23 January 2026 — Archdiocese of San Antonio · 2026Photo of the Week item: Lerma Martinez 'was ordained as bishop of the Diocese of Nuevo Laredo on January 14,' with a 'canonical installation service' at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. With the Catholic-Hierarchy 2026 events row above, this corroborates the 14 January 2026 end of Cabrera's Nuevo Laredo administration at spine-plus-newsletter level; a diocesan-primary Nuevo Laredo source for the handover itself was still not opened.
Portrait: SITEC / Wikimedia Commons
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