Archbishop Héctor Aguer Dies at 83

Archbishop Héctor Rubén Aguer, the emeritus archbishop of La Plata and a prominent conservative figure in the Argentine Catholic Church, died on Tuesday at the age of 83. His passing was announced by the Archdiocese of La Plata in an official statement signed by Archbishop Gustavo Carrara alongside auxiliary bishops and local clergy.

Born in Buenos Aires in May 1943 and ordained a priest in November 1972, Aguer served as a leading voice for traditional Christian values and Catholic morality over a span of more than five decades. He led the Archdiocese of La Plata for two decades, initially arriving as coadjutor archbishop in 1998 and taking full pastoral charge in 2000 until his retirement in 2018 when Pope Francis accepted his resignation upon reaching the canonical age limit of 75.

Throughout his tenure, Aguer was widely known as an unyielding polemicist who frequently engaged in intense public debates. He took staunch positions against abortion, same-sex marriage, contraception, and gender theory in education curricula, arguing consistently for the protection of the traditional Christian family model. His sharp public commentary on social and moral issues frequently brought him into direct confrontation with political leaders and social organizations.

Aguer maintained a historically distant relationship with Pope Francis, with whom he held contrasting pastoral and ideological visions. While Francis championed a church focused heavily on vulnerable populations, Aguer aligned closely with traditional orthodoxy and theology. Over the years, he did not conceal his reservations regarding the pastoral orientation promoted by the Holy See.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Aguer was an accomplished scholar with a solid foundation in philosophy and moral theology. He served as the Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University of La Plata, presided over the Education Commission of the Episcopate, and was a member of the National Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. His career also included extensive academic research and media participation.

Funeral arrangements have been organized by the Archdiocese of La Plata, beginning with a public viewing chapel at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Following a solemn funeral mass presided over by Archbishop Gustavo Carrara, his mortal remains will be transferred to the Clergy Pantheon at the Municipal Cemetery.