Francisco Robles Ortega

Francisco Robles Ortega (; born 2 March 1949) is a Mexican prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Archbishop of Guadalajara since 2012 and a cardinal since 2007. He was archbishop of Monterrey from 2003 to 2011. He was president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference from 2012 to 2018.

Biography Early life Francisco Robles Ortega was born in Mascota on 2 March 1949, the third of sixteen children born to Francisco Robles Arreola (b. 1917) and Teresa Ortega de Robles (b. 1927). He studied humanities at the minor seminary in Autlán, philosophy at the seminary in Guadalajara, and theology at the seminary in Zamora. Robles was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop José Vásquez Silos on 20 July 1976.

He studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 1976 to 1979, obtaining his licentiate in theology. Upon his return to Autlán, he held appointments as parish vicar, prefect of studies and spiritual director at the minor seminary, and chaplain of nuns. In 1980 he became rector of the seminary. He also served as diocesan consultor and president of the priests council and a member of the Commission for the Formation of the Clergy and of the Diocesan Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith. In 1985 he was appointed vicar general of the diocese and then became assistant to the commission for economic affairs of the diocese and taught at the seminary. and was installed on 15 July of that same year. On 25 January 2003, he was promoted to Archbishop of Monterrey.

Cardinal Pope Benedict XVI created him cardinal-priest of Santa Maria della Presentazione in the consistory of 24 November 2007.

On 5 January 2011 he was appointed among the first members of the newly created Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.

On 7 December 2011 Robles was appointed the Archbishop of Guadalajara.

On 24 November 2012 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

He was elected to a three-year term as president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference in 2012 and then elected to a second term, ending his service in 2018.

He was appointed a member of the Congregation for Bishops on 16 December 2013.

He was once again a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.

Views Drug politics The archbishop has called on the country's political parties and organizations to take action to avoid infiltration in their ranks by drug traders.

Secularism in education Robles said "we are against the change proposed by the decree to reform Article 3" of the Constitution because it seeks to encourage secularism in private educational institutions, eliminating the subject of religion, which trains young people in moral values.

Poverty and humility In naming archbishop Francisco Robles of Monterrey as one of 23 new Roman Catholic cardinals, analysts say the Vatican chose a clergyman who advocates for the poor and beseeches the faithful to embrace humility.

Family policy Robles has said that the family is "an institution that is natural, that is the basis of society", and he warned those who oppose a new law that would protect it not to attempt to "supplant such an important institution as the family."