Fernando Sáenz Lacalle

In the years following his installation, Sáenz was accused by critics of eviscerating the "preferential option for the poor" of his predecessors, notably Romero, by clamping down on progressive church movements affiliated with Liberation Theology with a series of personnel movements, closing of programs, and changes to seminary curriculum.[1] Sáenz has defended his stances by saying that the Church must speak on behalf of the poor and defenseless, but never become involved in activism or politics.[2] Sáenz is a member of the Opus Dei. He has supported the canonization cause of his predecessor, Romero.

Sáenz presided over the completion of the Metropolitan Cathedral on March 19, 1999.[3] Sáenz seemed to find his voice after two deadly earthquakes struck El Salvador a year apart in 2000 and 2001, with the archbishop springing into action to marshal international relief.[4] In more recent years, Sáenz has advocated conservative Catholic views on sex and contraception, called for civil cooperation with police authorities to combat gang violence, and criticized labor strikes in the health sector as an unjustifiable denial of service to hospital patients.[5]

In accordance with Canon law, Sáenz tendered his resignation as archbishop on December 27, 2008, and it was accepted. Bishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Vincente, El Salvador, was named the eleventh Bishop and seventh Archbishop of San Salvador, El Salvador on Monday, December 29, 2008, by Pope Benedict XVI.[6]