Zeferino González y Díaz Tuñón

Zeferino González (b. at Villoria in the Province of Oviedo, Spain, 28 January1831; d. at Madrid, in the Dominican Convent of La Pasion, 29 November1894) was a Spanish Dominican theologian, and philosopher, Archbishop of Seville and Cardinal.

Life

In 28 November 1844, in the College of Ocania, González entered the Dominican Order, and a year later took his solemn vows. He was sent to Manila in 1848 to complete his studies, and in January 1853, he was made a lector of philosophy. The following year he was ordained priest. After teaching philosophy and theology for many years in the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, he returned to Spain in 1867, where, the year following, he was elected rector of Ocania College, discharging the duties of this office for three years.

In 1874 he was named bishop of Malaga, but, before taking charge of this diocese, he was consecrated bishop of Cordova in October 1875. Eight years later he was removed to the archiepiscopal See of Seville, and in November 1884, he was created cardinal by Pope Leo XIII, with Santa Maria sopra Minerva as his titular church.

In May, 1885, Cardinal González was appointed to the primacy of Spain, was made Patriarch of the Indies, vicar-general of the army, and major-chaplain to the royal chapel. After many years of service González, in December 1889, resigned all his offices and dignities, except that of the cardinalate, and retired from active life. The remaining five years of his life were spent in study and prayer.

He was honoured with medals of Isabella the Catholic and Charles III, he was appointed chancellor of Castile, was chosen as royal adviser, made a member of the Royal Academy of Languages, of History, of Political and Moral Sciences, and of the Roman Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Works

Among his several works are: "Estudios sobre la filosofia de Sto Tomas"; "Estudios religiosos, politicos y sociales"; "Philosophia elementaria"; "Historia de la filosofia"; "La Biblia y la ciencia"; "La infalibilidad pontificia" (pamphlet); "Discurso de recepcion en la Academia Espanola" (pamphlet); "Discurso de recepcion en la Academia de Ciencias politicas y morales" (pamphlet).

References

*Acta Cap. Ord. Praed. (Rome, 1885);
*Hugo von Hurter, "Nomenclator literarius", III (Innsbruck, 1895), 1499;
*Vigil, La orden de praedicatores (Madrid, 1884), 297.

External links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/16041c.htm "Catholic Encyclopedia" article]
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1884-ii.htm#Gonzalez Biography]