The Salesian Cardinals

Don Bosco’s Sons Who Became Cardinals
Abp. Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet

(ANS – Rome – Sept. 28, 2023) - The 2d Salesian to be created a cardinal by Pope Francis, on February 14, 2015, was Uruguayan Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet. A scholar and lecturer, with a history of holding government posts also in his home province, he is highly esteemed by Pope Francis, who has entrusted him with many responsibilities in various bodies of the Roman Curia.

Daniel Sturla was born on July 4, 1959 in Montevideo. His father was a lawyer and died when Daniel was 13, while his mother, a housewife, died 3 years later. He was the youngest of 5 children: the other siblings are Martin, who held important political positions at national level at the end of the 20th century, before an untimely death; Maria Isabel, Maria Antonia, and Maria Laura. The family attended the parish of Mary Help of Christians in Montevideo, and so the future cardinal had his first contacts with Don Bosco’s sons at a very early age.

Although he attended primary and secondary school up to the 4th year at St. John the Baptist College run by the Religious of the Holy Family, he then obtained a bachelor's degree in law at the John XXIII Institute of the Salesians in Montevideo, and there he rediscovered the figure of St. John Bosco. Attracted by his charism, he entered the Salesian novitiate and made his religious profession on January 31, 1980.

After a bachelor's degree in civil law at the John XXIII Institute, he completed his studies in philosophy and education at the Michael Rua Institute in the capital. And after his practical training from 1982 to 1983 at the Talleres Don Bosco trade school, from 1984 to 1987 he pursued his studies in theology at the Mons. Mariano Soler Institute, now the School of Theology.

On November 21, 1987, he was ordained in his first parish, that of Maria Ausiliatrice in Montevideo, and the following year he was appointed as prefect of studies at Talleres Don Bosco, a post that he held until 1990. He also worked on the early stages of the Tacurú Movement, an institution that seeks to improve the living conditions of poor adolescents. From 1991 to 1993 he was vicar of the novitiate and postnovitiate of the Uruguay Province, then from 1994 to 1996 he was director of the Salesian aspirantate and novice master. In addition, from 2003 to 2008 he was the director of the John XXIII pre-university institute and professor of church history from 2007 to 2008. During those years, he continued his studies in theology, and in 2006 he obtained his Master’s from the Mons. Mariano Soler School of Theology.

He was among the participants of the 25th and 26th General Chapters (2002 and 2008) of the Salesian Congregation. In the meantime, he began to teach church history in America and Uruguay, taking care of research and publications especially on the question of the relationship between religious institutions and state authority, a very important issue in Uruguay, a country that has made secularism one of its ideals. In 2008 he was superior of the Salesian Province of Uruguay, and he was also elected at that time as the president of the Conference of Religious of Uruguay, but he was unable to complete the envisaged 6-year term due to his sudden appointment as auxiliary bishop of Montevideo and titular bishop of Felbes, received on December 10, 2011.

He was ordained bishop on March 4, 2012 in the cathedral of Montevideo. He chose a motto, very Salesian, “Serve the Lord with joy.”

Within the Episcopal Conference of Uruguay, he was also in charge of the Department of Missions and Laity.

On February 11, 2014, Pope Francis promoted him to archbishop of Montevideo; he took office on March 9, 2014.

In 2015 Pope Francis, announced his name as a cardinal in the consistory of February 14, 2015, with St. Galla as his titular parish. He is the 2d cleric in the history of Uruguay to receive the purple, preceded on the chair of Montevideo by Capuchin Antonio Maria Barbieri, created cardinal by John XXIII in 1958.

Keeping in mind his service to the Universal Church, Pope Francis appointed him a member of the dicasteries for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; for Evangelization; of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America; and of the Office for the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.