José Alí Lebrún Moratinos (19 March 1919 – 21 February 2001) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Caracas. Besides his native Spanish, he spoke Italian, Latin and French.
Early life and priesthood
He was born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, as the eldest of the five children. He was confirmed in his native city by Felipe Rincón González, Archbishop of Caracas. He was educated at Colegio San José, of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He entered the Interdiocesan Seminary of Caracas, where he was taught from 1934 until 1937. He travelled to Rome to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He earned a licentiate in philosophy in 1941. He then started studying theology but had to leave Italy because of the Second World War. He was ordained to the priesthood on 19 December 1943. He served from 1943 until 1956 in Valencia, as a faculty member, spiritual director and rector of its seminary as well as its chaplain. He did pastoral work in several parishes and was chaplain of the local jail.
He was made Cardinal-Priest of S. Pancrazio in the consistory of 2 February 1983 by Pope John Paul II. He was elected President of the Episcopal Conference of Venezuela, serving from 1984 to 1990. He resigned as archbishop on 27 May 1995. He died on 21 February 2001 in Caracas. He is buried along with all the other bishops of Caracas.
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