Cardinal Toribio Ticona Porco, the bishop emeritus of Corcoro (Bolivia), comes from the humble beginnings of shining shoes and working in a mine to a life dedicated to helping the poor and the marginalized.

Born on April 25, 1937, in Atocha, Bolivia, Ticona Porco grew up in poverty and worked various jobs to support his family, including selling newspapers, shining shoes, and working as a miner. He also served as a bricklayer’s assistant and a mechanic during his youth.

Before entering the seminary, Ticona Porco spent 14 years as the mayor of Chacarilla, a small mining municipality, where he would also celebrate Mass for the community on Sundays. His dedication to social justice led to his imprisonment at one point for “defending the cause of the poor.”

After his diverse work experiences, Ticona Porco pursued a religious vocation and was eventually ordained a priest at the age of thirty. He rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church, becoming the Bishop of Corocoro, Bolivia. Throughout his ecclesiastical career, he maintained a strong connection with the working class and indigenous communities.

In May 2018, at the age of 81, Pope Francis appointed Ticona Porco cardinal, making him the only Bolivian member of the Sacred College at the time. This appointment came as a surprise to Ticona Porco himself, who humbly stated, “I am the son of a miner, I am a campesino, but above all I am a humble person.”

Ticona Porco’s relationship with Pope Francis dates back to their encounters during his missionary work with Bolivian immigrants in the slums of Buenos Aires, where Francis was previously the archbishop. The Pope is said to have a particular fondness for Ticona Porco, though the cardinal himself modestly claims not to know the reason.

Throughout his life and career, Cardinal Toribio Ticona Porco has remained committed to serving the poor and marginalized, embodying the values of humility and social justice.

In addition to Spanish and Quechua, Cardinal Ticona Porco learned all the languages spoken in the Prelature of Corocoro during his time there.