Bernardo Álvarez Afonso
Encyclopedia
Bernardo Álvarez Afonso (Breña Alta
, island of La Palma
, in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, July 29, 1949) is a Spanish
Catholic
bishop
, since September 2005 bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna
(Tenerife
) (Spanish: Diócesis Nivariense). On September 4, 2005 he was declared and credited bishop by Pope Benedict XVI, in the current Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Iglesia de la Concepción
), the 12th bishop of the Diocese of Tenerife; on the same date he took canonical possession of the diocese.
In a 2007 interview with local paper La Opinión de Tenerife, he stated "There are adolescents of thirteen years of age who are minors and are totally in agreement and furthermore desire it. Even if you take care they provoke you." This led to a headline reading "Bishop of Tenerife blames child abuse on the children".
Breña Alta
Breña Alta is a municipality on the eastern side of the island of La Palma, in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. The ayuntamiento is in the town of San Pedro, at 350 m above sea-level, and only 9 km south of the island's capital Santa Cruz de la Palma...
, island of La Palma
La Palma
La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands. La Palma has an area of 706 km2 making it the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands...
, in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, July 29, 1949) is a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, since September 2005 bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna
Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna also called; Diocese of Tenerife or Diocese Nivariense is a diocese located in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna in the Canary Islands in the Ecclesiastical province of Sevilla in Spain. The diocese includes the islands of Tenerife, La...
(Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
) (Spanish: Diócesis Nivariense). On September 4, 2005 he was declared and credited bishop by Pope Benedict XVI, in the current Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Iglesia de la Concepción
Iglesia de la Concepción (San Cristóbal de La Laguna)
The Iglesia-Parroquia Matriz de Nuestra Señora de La Concepción is a Catholic church located in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna...
), the 12th bishop of the Diocese of Tenerife; on the same date he took canonical possession of the diocese.
In a 2007 interview with local paper La Opinión de Tenerife, he stated "There are adolescents of thirteen years of age who are minors and are totally in agreement and furthermore desire it. Even if you take care they provoke you." This led to a headline reading "Bishop of Tenerife blames child abuse on the children".