During South American Trip, Pope Francis Meets World's Oldest Bishop in Chile

Before all else, I would like to greet Bishop Bernardino Piñero Carvallo, who this year celebrates his sixtieth anniversary of episcopal ordination...who was present for four sessions of the Second Vatican Council,

declared Francis upon his arrival in Chile. 

The oldest bishop in the world – who is also the uncle of the Chilean president Sebastian Piñera who will take office in March of 2018 – was born in Paris in 1915. He was ordained a priest on April 5, 1947, by the archbishop of Santiago, Archbishop José María Caro Rodríguez.

Nominated on February 11, 1958, as auxiliary bishop of Talca by Pius XII, he was consecrated on April 27 of the same year. In 1960, John XXIII promoted him to Temuco. In 1977, he gave up his position as head of the diocese to serve as secretary for the Episcopal Conference. In 1983, John Paul II made him archbishop of La Serena and the following year, he was elected president of the Episcopal Conference of Chile. In 1990, he retired to the convent of St. Francis in Santiago of which he is a tertiary. “A marvellous living memory,” Pope Francis said of him.