Cardinal Manuel José Macário do Nascimento Clemente, a conservative-leaning former Patriarch of Lisbon, is a strong advocate of dialogue and a skilled communicator who played a leading role in the 2023 World Youth Day in his country.

Born on July 16, 1948, in Torres Vedras, near Lisbon, he was ordained priest in 1979 after earning degrees in history, theology, and historical theology. His early career focused on seminary training and academic work, becoming a professor at the Catholic University of Portugal and earning his doctorate in theology in 1992.

Clemente’s rise in the Church hierarchy began with his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon in 1999 by Pope John Paul II. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named him Bishop of Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city. His leadership and communication skills gained recognition, leading to his election as vice-president of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference in 2011.

In 2013, Pope Francis appointed Clemente as Patriarch of Lisbon, making him the head of the Portuguese Catholic Church. He was elevated to the rank of Cardinal in 2015. As Patriarch, Clemente played a crucial role in organizing and hosting World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, which saw over 1.5 million young people gather in the Portuguese capital.

Throughout his career, Clemente has been known for his strong communication skills and cultural engagement. He has authored several books on Church history, theology, and contemporary issues. In 2009, he was awarded the Prix Pessoa, Portugal’s highest cultural accolade, becoming the first religious figure to receive this civil award.

Clemente has also been involved in various Vatican roles, including serving on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications since 2011 and participating in the Synod of Bishops for the New Evangelization in 2012 and the Extraordinary Synod on the Family in 2014.

In recent years, Clemente has had to confront the issue of sexual abuse within the Portuguese Catholic Church. In early 2023, an independent commission report revealed that at least 4,815 minors had been sexually abused by clergy members since 1950. Clemente acknowledged the “errors of the past” and expressed readiness to ask for forgiveness from the victims. He described this period as the most difficult of his patriarchate.

Clemente has been praised for his “defense of dialogue and tolerance” and his work fighting social exclusion. He has also been characterized as a “good shepherd” and a man of faith and culture who is in touch with his flock, aware and sensitive to their need, and “knows how to interpret the signs of the times.”

The cardinal has orthodox views on marriage and the family. He has said he believes it is inadvisable to accept homosexuals in seminaries and, consequently, in the priesthood.

Regarding marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, Cardinal Clemente has argued that “same-sex adoption goes against what has always been the evidence.”

The former Patriarch of Lisbon also maintains a firm position against abortion and euthanasia. He has said “we can only reject abortion and euthanasia and everything that may lead to them.” He has defended the “integrity of life” and calls for “legal respect and concrete support for the most fragile life.”

Portuguese Church sources describe him as an “apparent conservative” with rather classical positions on morality, akin to Pope St. John Paul II, but also with some modernist and liberal views. He took the same line as Pope Francis on the Traditional Latin Mass and instructed his flock to obey Traditionis Custodes, although he later made some concessions. He is known to be a charming prelate, well-liked by Portugal’s intelligentsia, and someone who tries to avoid confrontation.

In August 2023, the Pope accepted Clemente’s resignation as Patriarch of Lisbon, shortly after the conclusion of World Youth Day and his 75th birthday, marking the end of his decade-long leadership of the Lisbon diocese.

During Cardinal Clemente’s tenure as patriarch, the numbers of priests and religious remained stable.