Argentine theologian From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Emilce Cuda (born 26 December 1965) is an Argentine theologian, university professor, and Roman Curia official.
Emilce Cuda | |
|---|---|
People and Politics panel Oct 2015 | |
| Born | 26 December 1965 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Notable work | Para Leer a Francisco |
| Theological work | |
| Tradition or movement | Theology of the People |
| Notable ideas | people-poor-worker (In Spanish, pueblo-pobre-trabajador) |
Dubbed "the woman who knows how to read Pope Francis",[1] she is known for interpreting the teachings of Pope Francis through the Argentine Theology of the People,[2] political philosophers, and her own native exposure to Pope Francis’ cultural milieu.
She is the first Argentine laywoman to receive a pontifical PhD in moral theology [3] and the first woman to hold an executive position in the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.[4]
She obtained her BA (1990), MA (2005) and PhD/STD (2010) from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA).[5][6] Her PhD/STD diploma was signed by UCA Grand Chancellor / Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis), and UCA Rector Víctor Manuel Fernández, now Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Roman Curia. She studied philosophy at Universidad de Buenos Aires, UBA. She received an MBA (2001) from the Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales.[5]
On December 14, 2022, the National University of Rosario conferred on her the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, in honoris causa.[7] Pope Francis sent a hand-written letter of thanks to the university for the recognition as "a deserved distinction for the academic, intellectual and personal merits of Emilce (Cuda), a tireless fighter for social justice, peace, decent work and the beauty of creation, especially in Latin America".[8]
On May 9, 2023, Loyola University Chicago conferred on her the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa "in recognition of her distinguished career and scholarship, commitment to social justice, and service on behalf of the poor and marginalized."[9]
She is a research professor at Universidad Nacional Arturo Juaretche (UNAJ) and a visiting professor at the UCA, the UBA, and Loyola University Chicago.[10] She was a visiting research professor in residence at Boston College (2016)[11] and DePaul University (2019).[6] She is an advisor and professor for the Episcopal Conference of Latin America (CELAM),[12] through its social school CEBITIPAL. She collaborates with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development of the Roman curia of the Holy See, with the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) of Geneva in the program "The Future of Work. Labor after Laudato Si and Post Covid 19", with The Economy of Francesco, with the Episcopal Conference of Argentina,[13] and with the Pastoral Juvenil de la Arquidiócesis de Los Angeles. She is a visible figure in the academic, ecclesial and social organizations of Argentina and Latin America. She is a member of the global network Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church(CTEWC).[14] where she was coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean between 2016 and 2018.
She appears frequently at conferences and on-line panel discussions, speaking chiefly on labor issues and Francis' contributions to the Church's social magisterium.[15][16][17] Her approach seems to be based on pontifical social encyclicals, Catholic cultural and intellectual history, Latin American popular culture and politics, and uniquely Argentine elements such as tango lyrics.
Her formulation ‘pueblo-pobre-trabajador’ does not render directly into English, in which people and poor are not the connotative singular nouns that they are in Spanish.[18] Resonating with Pope Francis's phrase "God’s holy faithful people"[19] and the preferential option for the poor of Catholic social teaching, Cuda's phrase suggests that the poor, destitute as they may be, are the workers who make up the people where grace operates.
On 26 July 2021, Pope Francis named Cuda to head the office of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.[20] She took up her responsibilities at the Vatican on 1 September.[21] On 18 February 2022 Pope Francis promoted her to secretary of the Commission, on an equal footing with its other secretary Rodrigo Guerra López.[22]
On 13 April 2022 Pope Francis appointed her to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.[23]
On 19 May 2022 Pope Francis appointed her to the Pontifical Academy for Life.[24]
National Catholic Reporter wrote in 2022, "Her intense focus on the issues at hand, combined with her indefatigable commitment to the work, has — based on her quick ascendancy in Rome — earned her the strong approval of Francis, who is insisting that what happens at the Vatican and beyond is motivated by Catholic social teaching."[25]
She is married to an American and has two children. She spends part of the year at a family home in Arizona.[21]
Reading Francis – Theology, Ethics and Politics (Spanish: Para Leer a Francisco – Teologia, Etica y Politica) was published in 2014. Prefaced by Scannone, it examines the theological and philosophical underpinnings of Pope Francis’ writings. Spanish newspaper ABC wrote, "It allows us to delve into the main lines of Theology of the People, covering the pastoral and ethical implications of the decisions approved by the Latin American episcopate held in Aparecida."[26]
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