Bishop of Cienfuegos
Domingo Oropesa Lorente, Bishop of Cienfuegos. Domingo Oropesa Lorente was born on October 10, 1950, in Alcázar de San Juan, Ciudad Real, Spain. He was an only child; his parents and sister have since passed away, though he maintains family ties with aunts, uncles, and cousins in Spain. He completed his primary and secondary education in Ciudad Real and later moved to Barcelona, where he attended the Faculty of Psychology for three years. During this time, he worked in a pharmaceutical laboratory and actively participated in the *Cursillos de Cristiandad* movement. At the age of 27, in 1977, he entered the San Ildefonso Metropolitan Seminary in Toledo, where he completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology in preparation for the priesthood. He was ordained a priest on July 15, 1984, in the Archdiocese of Toledo, Spain, by Cardinal Marcelo González Martín. During his ministry in Spain, he held various positions: 1987–1989: Parochial Vicar in Fuensalida; 1989: *Pastor in solidum* for Puente del Arzobispo, Azután, and Navalmoralejo; 1989–1998: Archpriest of Puente del Arzobispo; 1998–1999: Pastor in Los Navalucillos. In the social sphere, he was elected regional president of social works and national vice-president, distinguishing himself in the management of nursing homes in Castilla-La Mancha. On September 14, 1999, he was sent as a *fidei donum* missionary priest to the Archdiocese of Camagüey, Cuba, where he assumed the following roles: Administrator and first pastor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Céspedes (1999–2006); Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Florida, Camagüey (2006–2007). Episcopacy: On July 9, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Cienfuegos. He was consecrated on September 15 of that same year in a ceremony presided over by Msgr. Juan García Rodríguez (then Archbishop of Camagüey), accompanied by Antonio Cañizares Llovera and Emilio Aranguren Echeverría. Since arriving in the diocese, Msgr. Oropesa has led various initiatives, such as the restoration of the Corpus Christi procession in 2008—a tradition that had not been observed for decades. He also served as the Cathedral's parish priest between 2011 and 2012. At the national level, he coordinates the permanent diaconate ministry for the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (COCC). Episcopal Coat of Arms: Msgr. Oropesa’s coat of arms includes: Top left: Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba. Top right: The Monstrance of Toledo, alluding to his home diocese. Bottom: A pearl (symbolizing Cienfuegos, known as the "Pearl of the South"), a windmill (representing La Mancha, his native region), and a *tinajón* (referencing Camagüey, where he began his mission in Cuba). Episcopal motto: "Struggling with the strength of Christ." Msgr. Domingo Oropesa Lorente continues to serve the Church in Cuba with dedication, distinguished by his pastoral approach and commitment to the spiritual formation of his diocese.