Romana

Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro, Major Penitentiary Emeritus of the Holy See and a member of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, participated on May 9 in the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Roman Academic Center Foundation (Centro Académico Romano Fundación—CARF), an initiative begun by Bishop del Portillo to assist in the formation of priests and seminarians from all over the world.

CARF currently relies on more than 10,000 benefactors who contribute with their donations to the formation of priests. In its 25 years of existence, more than 13,500 students from 120 countries have received financial assistance to study at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and in the ecclesiastical schools of the University of Navarra in Pamplona. Thanks to this initiative, over 2,000 diocesan seminarians, from 69 countries, have been ordained priests after having completed their studies and received formation in the ecclesiastical residence halls of Bidasoa and Sedes Sapientiae.