José Raúl Vera López

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

José Raúl Vera López

O.P.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; José Raúl Vera López; O.P.
Bishop of Saltillo
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Diocese	Saltillo
See	Saltillo
Appointed	30 December 1999
Installed	20 March 2000
Predecessor	Francisco Raúl Villalobos Padilla
Orders
Ordination	29 June 1975; by Pope Paul VI
Consecration	6 January 1988; by Pope John Paul II
Personal details
Birth name	José Raúl Vera López
Born	21 June 1945 (age 76); Acámbaro, Guanajuato, Mexico
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Ciudad Altamirano (1987-95); Coadjutor Bishop of San Cristóbal de las Casas (1995-99)
Alma mater	National Autonomous University of Mexico; Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas

José Raúl Vera López is a Mexican friar of the Dominican Order and since 2000 bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saltillo. He is known as well for his struggle for human rights and social justice.

Biography[]

Early life and formation[]

Vera López was born on 21 June 1945 in Acámbaro.

In 1968 he started his religious training in the novitiate of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominican Order, in the Central Mexican city of León. Subsequently he studied philosophy in Mexico City and in theology in Bologna in Italy.

Vera Lopez is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas Angelicum where he obtained a licentiate in Sacred Theology with a grade of summa cum laude. He was ordained priest by Pope Paul VI on 29 June 1975 and consecrated bishop by Pope John Paul II on 6 January 1988.^[1]

Episcopal career[]

Vera López held several clerical posts, was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Ciudad Altamirano in 1987, coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas in 1995, and bishop of the Diocese of Saltillo in 1999.

Next to his clerical career, Vera López is an avowed advocate for human rights and social justice. With the risk for his own safety he expressed his views against abuse of power, corruption, absence of the rule of law and violations of human rights. Furthermore, he opposes the fact that, although Mexico is not really a poor country, around half of its 110 million people live below the poverty line.^[2]

Recognition[]

Vera López was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. He received several recognitions, e.g.:

2000: «Don Sergio Méndez Arceo» National Prize for Human Rights
2000: «Roque Dalton» Medal
2007: Medal of Merit in Mexico City
2009: «Samuel Ruiz» Award
2009: «Hijo predilecto de Acámbaro» Award
2010: Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize
2013: Doctorate honoris causa in humanities from the Dominican Bayamón Central University in Puerto Rico.

References[]

^ "Bishop José Raúl Vera López, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
^ Rafto Foundation for Human Rights (2010) The 2010 Rafto Prize To José Raúl Vera López - Fearless Defender Of Mexico’s Most Vulnerable^{[permanent dead link]}

[1] "Bishop José Raúl Vera López, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

[2] Rafto Foundation for Human Rights (2010) The 2010 Rafto Prize To José Raúl Vera López - Fearless Defender Of Mexico’s Most Vulnerable^{[permanent dead link]}

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