Cardinal Adalberto Martínez Flores

Msgr. Adalberto Martínez Flores was born in Asunción, Paraguay, on 8 July 1951. After attending the Faculty of Economics of the National University, he moved to Washington, United States of America, where he obtained a bachelor of arts degree in the Faculty. of the Oblate College. He then attended the International School of Priests of the Focolare Movement in Frascati, Rome, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University. He was ordained a priest on 24 August 1985, for the North American diocese of the Virgin Islands, where he exercised his ministry for several years in the formation of seminarians and assistants for apostolic movements. Back in Paraguay, in 1993 he was incardinated in the archdiocese of Asunción, holding the positions of parish vicar, parish priest, secretary general of the diocesan synod and pastoral supervisor of Radio Caritas and of youth ministry. On 14 August 1997 he was appointed as auxiliary bishop of Asunción, and received episcopal consecration on 8 November. On 18 May 2000 he was appointed as first bishop of the new diocese of San Lorenzo. On 19 February 2007 he was transferred to the diocese of San Pedro Apóstol and on 14 March 2012 he was appointed as military ordinary of Paraguay.