In a deeply personal account published by Ultima Hora, Cardinal Adalberto Martínez Flores, the first cardinal in Paraguay's history, shared the story of his vocation and the sacrifices that shaped his path. Born in Asunción on July 8, 1951, Martínez described how his calling grew gradually, nurtured by the example of his parents, Aureliano and Esmeralda, and the family's itinerant life due to his father's work as a public health worker in remote areas like the Chaco and Colonia Ceibo.
After completing high school with a commercial baccalaureate, Martínez studied economics for three years at university before deciding to leave both his studies and his homeland in search of broader horizons. He described the separation from his family as a 'real sacrifice' and an 'inner uprooting,' but said his faith helped him see renunciations not as losses but as 'offerings that enlarge the heart.'
Martínez was ordained a priest on August 24, 1985, by Bishop Sean O'Malley for the Diocese of the Virgin Islands, where he served for nine years before returning to Asunción. He later held various pastoral roles, including auxiliary bishop of Asunción, first bishop of San Lorenzo, bishop of San Pedro, bishop of the Armed Forces and National Police, bishop of Villarrica and Caazapá, and finally archbishop of Asunción. He noted that each appointment came as a surprise and was accepted as a call from God through the Church.
Regarding his elevation to cardinal by Pope Francis, Martínez said the pope acted with admiration and affection for Paraguay and its people. He emphasized that such responsibilities are not about personal merit but about serving the Gospel and building God's kingdom in society. 'Our mission is to be a Church at the service of the full life of our people,' he stated.
Martínez concluded with a message of trust: 'Do not be afraid, trust that God guides life even amid uncertainties.'