He studied at Rural School of Ticuantepe, Cristóbal Rugada School of Masaya and Escuela Normal of Managua and continued his secondary studies at the National Institute of Masaya and at Colegio San José de Calasanz. He then studied at the National Seminary Nuestra Señora de Fátima of Managua ; at the Superior Institute of Ecclesiastical Studies, Méxio ; at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome ; and at the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology. He received the diaconate on 13 January 1974.
Priesthood
He was ordained a priest in Managua on 16 August 1974 by Miguel Obando Bravo, S.D.B. He then served in a number of roles, including priest in the parishes of "Tisma", "Las Brisas", "la Asunción", and "St. Pius X" in Managua, and vicar for pastoral care and substitute vicar general of Managua. He was later a priest of the parishes of Sagrada Familia, María Inmaculada, San Pío X, Espíritu Santo and Santa Rosa and San Agustín, in Managua, and vicar for pastoral care of the archdiocese of Managua and episcopal vicar for vocations and ministries.
named him titular bishop of Maturba and appointed him auxiliary bishop of Managua on 13 February 1988. He was consecrated a bishop on 19 March 1988 in the cathedral of Managua by Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo, Archbishop of Managua, assisted by Paolo Giglio, apostolic nuncio to Nicaragua, and Arturo Rivera Damas, Archbishop of San Salvador. His episcopal motto is Tu me has enviado. He was made Bishop of Matagalpa on 2 November 1991 and made Archbishop of Managua on 1 April 2005. He took possession of the see on 21 May. He received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI on 29 June 2005. In the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua he has been president of the Commission for Vocations and Ministries; secretary general of the Episcopal Conference; president of Cáritas Nacional; president of the Commission for Catechesis; and president of the Commission for Social Communications. He has served as a delegate for the Eucharistic Congresses, delegate to the Special Assembly for America of the Synod of Bishops, delegate to the Latin American Episcopal Council, President of the CELAM Commission Family-Life-Youth, President of the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America. He has been Vice-president of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua and its president. Pope Benedict named him to a five-year term as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on 8 October 2009.
