I was in northeastern Mexico (Nuevo Leon) in February and have more to report on than will fit in one post, so I'm going to break it up into more bite-size bits. Today: the Church in Monterrey.
The Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús is very close to the old Palace at the north end of what is now the Macroplaza. It is known for a very pretty gilt interior that makes for great TikToks and Insta posts, It has a 2+ year waiting list for weddings, so I peeked in for a ceremony and it was indeed photogenic -- everyone dressed in white and the decor in gold, a mellifluous priest reciting/singing the liturgy through a great sound system, a bedecked white Escalade waiting for the newlyweds at the curb.
Two other things stood out to me, though:
• a side chapel (capilla) had a large icon of Josemaria Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei. Wha?
Escrivá was canonized in 2002, and is a figure of great devotion in Monterrey (other cities in Mexico, too.)
• Parroquia Sagrado Corazón de Jesús was elevated to a diocesan sanctuary on 7 June 2024.
This is a canonical designation by Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera López of Monterrey (not a Vatican-level basilica or co-cathedral elevation), emphasizing prayer for priests and vocations within the archdiocese.
In practical terms, this means that while it remains a functioning parish, it now also holds the special liturgical status of a diocesan sanctuary — a place designated by the archbishop for broader pastoral focus, often linked to devotion and spiritual renewal, especially related to priestly vocations.
Why would the Archbishop do this in the summer of 2024?
Under Catholic canon law, diocesan bishops and archbishops are expected to submit their resignation at age 75. Mons. Cabrera reached that age in January 2026 and has formally presented his resignation to Pope Leo. The Pope considers the resignation and then decides whether to accept it or to have him to continue for a time. During this period, Cabrera continues as archbishop.
But in December 2025, the Vatican appointed a new auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Monterrey: José Eugenio Ramos Delgado, who was previously a vicar within the archdiocese.
An auxiliary bishop assists the archbishop with pastoral and administrative duties, especially in large dioceses like Monterrey. This doesn’t change the fact that Cabrera is still the diocesan archbishop during the transition.
The Vatican presents this auxiliary appointment as a way to preserve tradition and smooth the generational transition, but of course they are being diplomatic. Archbishop Cabrera is using his position to try to preserve a sanctuary for right-wing clergy here in the parroquia in the face of Leo's papacy continuing the modernization and liberalization of the Church.
Regarding the local church, the Vatican is saying ~~ the appointment of an auxiliary bishop indicates continuity and support, not a replacement.
In Mexican Catholic life, this is a normal and planned transition, not a sign of conflict or crisis — it’s part of routine Church governance under canon law.~~ Take that as you will, but it seems like Leo is trying to ease Cabrera out and Cabrera preempted this in 2024 by using his authority to make Sagrado Corazon a sanctuary for pro-Opus Dei clergy.
Even if you are only glancingly familiar with contemporary Church history in Spain and Latin America, you know that the upper levels of its administration and its front-line workers have often been at odds with each other. the capital C Church sides with the nobility/military and corporations while padres take up the cause of the pueblo/workers/poor. This continues to play out in Monterrey today. The families who are waiting their turn for a special wedding ceremony are not modest ones; they are the up and coming businesspeople who make the city so vibrant and in constant growth. They live in the neighborhoods that look like LA or San Antonio.