Cardinal Sérgio da Rocha is a Brazilian prelate, moral theologian and youth minister on the moderately progressive wing of the Church who surprised some Brazilian Catholics by rising rapidly up the ecclesiastical ranks to become a cardinal in 2016.

Born on October 21, 1959, in Dobrada, São Paulo, Brazil, he was ordained as a priest on December 14, 1984, at the age of 25.

Cardinal da Rocha pursued his theological studies at Nossa Senhora da Assunção Theological Faculty in São Paulo and later obtained a doctorate in moral theology from the St. Alphonsus Academy in Rome. His early ministry included serving as a parish priest, coordinator of youth pastoral ministry, and professor of philosophy and moral theology at various institutions.

Da Rocha’s ascent in the Church hierarchy began with his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Fortaleza in 2001. He was subsequently appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Teresina in 2007 and succeeded as Archbishop of Teresina in 2008. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Brasília.

On November 19, 2016, Pope Francis elevated Sérgio da Rocha to the rank of Cardinal, assigning him the titular church of Santa Croce in via Flaminia. In 2020, he was appointed to his current position as the Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia.

Cardinal da Rocha has held several influential positions within the Brazilian Catholic Church and beyond. He served as the President of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil from April 2015. His leadership extended to the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), where he was the President of the Department of Vocations and Ministries.

The cardinal took part in both synods on the family, and in 2018 Pope Francis named Cardinal da Rocha as the relator general of the Synod of Bishops on young people, faith, and vocational discernment, a role that underscored his expertise in youth ministry and theological matters.

At that synod, the Cardinal emphasized the importance of listening to and involving young people in the synodal process. Da Rocha said the Church needs a “change of perspective,” renewing her spiritual ardor and apostolic vigor through the example of holiness of young people.

The cardinal also spoke of the need to “overcome the scourge of clericalism,” saying that such an “elitist and exclusivist vision of vocation” leads to the belief that clerics have “all the answers and no longer needs to listen or learn anything, or that pretends to listen.” Clericalism, he added, “is a perversion and is the root of many evils in the Church: we must humbly ask forgiveness for this and above all create the conditions so that it is not repeated.”

The synod’s final document threw up a number of concerns, namely regarding passages on homosexuality in connection with youth, and women in the Church, and the fact that synodality was inserted into the text despite it not being in the working document.

To be appointed a synod’s relator general traditionally has been viewed as an indicator of papal support and perhaps even his chosen successor.  In 2023, Pope Francis further expressed his confidence in the cardinal when he appointed him a member of the Council of Cardinals, the select group that advises the Pope on Church governance and reform.

Despite his expertise in moral theology, the cardinal is relatively discreet and little is publicly known about his views on Church teaching in the context of contemporary social and moral issues.

However, in 2021, the cardinal drew criticism for celebrating a Mass “in memory of the victims of transphobia.” In his homily, Da Rocha decried violence against the “LGBTI+” population, listed the most violent places, and called for a “culture of fraternity and peace.”¹Cardinal da Rocha said: “We need to say ‘no’ to violence in its many guises. Violence against the LGBTI+ population is a sad sign of a society that lives with constant violations of the life, dignity and rights of so many victims of brutal death. People’s lives and dignity, especially those of the most vulnerable social groups, have been continually violated in many places. We cannot justify or reproduce the violence that is widespread in society.” He continued: “Data released this month on violent deaths of LGBTQI+ people in 2020 showed that the Northeast sadly occupies first place in the number of deaths in the country, followed by the Centre-West. And that the most violent capitals were Salvador and São Paulo… We have a lot to do to transform this sad reality and build a culture of fraternity and peace, of respect for the life and dignity of every person, especially those living in situations of social exclusion.””LGBT” Catholic movements hailed the event as a sign of support to their cause and a “gesture of love” while critics called it a political act against the doctrine of the Church and questioned the contention that homosexuals were being killed on the grounds of their orientation. Although the cardinal celebrated the Mass, he did not distribute Communion.

The cardinal appears to be open to those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass. When he was Archbishop of Brasilia, he did not pose obstacles to the establishment of the traditional Institute of the Good Shepherd, nor did he oppose them constructing a small church for the celebration of a daily Mass in the Vetus Ordo.

Cardinal da Rocha is reputed to be a fair pastor, easy to deal with and with a relatively low profile.

He is a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Dicasteries for Bishops and for the Clergy.

Apart from Portuguese, it is not clear if the cardinal speaks any other languages.