«We received the joyful news that His Holiness Francis has deigned to establish the new diocese of Cancún-Chetumal (L’Osservatore Romano, February 15, 2020)», thus began Mons. Pedro Pablo Elizondo his letter addressed to all priests, religious, and lay faithful of the area on February 15.

The Holy Father elevated the territorial prelature of Cancún-Chetumal (Mexico) to a diocese, appointing Mons. Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, previously a prelate bishop, as the first bishop of the new diocese. The territory is part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Yucatán, which includes the Archdiocese of Yucatán, the Diocese of Tabasco, the Diocese of Campeche, and now the Diocese of Cancún-Chetumal.

On May 23, 1970, Pope Paul VI established the Prelature of Chetumal, entrusting it to the care of the Legionaries of Christ, and appointed then-P. Jorge Bernal Vargas, LC, as apostolic administrator.

What is a territorial prelature?

Special circumstances often lead to the formation of a territorial prelature, especially when in some dioceses pastoral care is difficult—primarily due to a shortage of clergy—thus a territory is carved out and erected as a prelature, with the hope that it may later become a diocese.

What does it mean to transition from a territorial prelature to a diocese?

Territorial prelatures are usually organized according to the particular circumstances of the faithful. In the case of the prelature of Cancún-Chetumal, its development was influenced by the spirituality of the Legionaries of Christ. Now, as a diocese, it will have the pastoral task of developing a diocesan life. The Legionaries of Christ of the prelature lived under the statutes of the Congregation. Today, they will have to adopt the norms required by Canon Law for a diocesan church.

Mons. Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas

Mons. Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas was born in San José de Gracia, Diocese of Zamora, on September 4, 1949. He entered the Apostolic School of the Legionaries of Christ in Mexico City and did his novitiate in Spain, making his first vows on November 26, 1968.

He made his perpetual profession in April 1974 and was ordained a priest on December 24, 1982. He studied Philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University and Theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

From 1982 to 2001, he was a formator and novice master of the Legionaries of Christ in the United States, Spain, Chile, and Ireland. From 2001 to 2004, he served as episcopal vicar in the Territorial Prelature of Cancún-Chetumal.

On October 26, 2004, he was appointed bishop prelate of Cancún-Chetumal and was consecrated bishop on November 22 of the same year, succeeding Mons. Jorge Bernal.