José Tolentino de Mendonça explained

Type:	Cardinal
Honorific Prefix:	His Eminence
José Tolentino de Mendonça
Honorific Suffix:	TOSD ComSE ComIH
Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education
Church:	Roman Catholic Church
Appointed:	26 September 2022
Retired:	-->
Other Post:	Cardinal-Deacon of Santi Domenico e Sisto (2019-)
Ordination:	28 July 1990
Ordained By:	Teodoro de Faria
Consecration:	28 July 2018
Consecrated By:	Manuel III, Cardinal-Patriarch of Lisbon
Cardinal:	5 October 2019
Created Cardinal By:	Pope Francis
Rank:	Cardinal-Deacon
Birth Name:	José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça
Birth Date:	1965 12, df=yes
Birth Place:	Machico, Madeira, Portugal
Tomb:	-->
Nationality:	Portuguese
Religion:	Catholic
Partner:	-->
Occupation:	Writer, academic, administrator
Motto:	Latin: Considerate lilia agri (Consider the lilies of the field), 6:28

José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça (born 15 December 1965) is a Portuguese prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. A theologian and university professor, he is also regarded as one of the most original voices of modern Portuguese literature and a Catholic intellectual. His work includes poetry, essays and plays that he signs José Tolentino Mendonça.

He was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education in September 2022. An archbishop since July 2018, he was Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church from 2018 to 2022. Pope Francis created him cardinal on 5 October 2019. Since 2020, he has been a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic.

Biography

Family

The youngest of five children, de Mendonça was born on the island of Madeira, Portugal on 15 December 1965. He spent his earliest years in Angola, in several coastal towns where his father was a fisherman. He left Africa at the age of nine when Portugal withdrew from its African colonies.

Priest and Academic

In 1989, he graduated with the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in theology from the Portuguese Catholic University (UCP). He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Funchal, Madeira, on 28 July 1990. That same year he published his first book of poems, Os Dias Contados.^[1] In 1992, he was awarded a master's degree in biblical sciences at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. In 2004, he earned a doctorate in biblical theology at the Portuguese Catholic University (UCP).

He has fulfilled pastoral assignments, first of all at the parish of Nossa Senhora do Livramento in Funchal from 1992 to 1995, then as chaplain at the UCP for 5 years. He next served the parish of Santa Isabel in Lisbon and then became rector of the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Bonanza, better known as Capela do Rato, in 2010.^{[2] [3]}

On 4 August 2021, de Mendonça took his vows as a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic at a ceremony held at the São Domingos convent in Lisbon and presided over Mass following the ceremony in which he received the white habit. In his capacity as a member in the secular order, he does not possess any obligations towards the official Dominican hierarchy, but he commits to the charism of the Dominicans and to live in accordance with their vows. He made his initial rite of admission to and received the habit from Father José Nunes, the prior provincial for the Portuguese Dominicans.^[4]

De Mendonça's assignments following his ordination included academic appointments as a lecturer at the diocesan seminary of Funchal, the rector of the Pontifical Portuguese College in Rome, and a lecturer at the Portuguese Catholic University. He was visiting professor the Catholic University of Pernambuco (Unicap), Brazil, the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and the Jesuit School of Philosophy and Theology of Belo Horizonte (Faje). In Lisbon, he joined the UCP faculty as an assistant (1996-1999), assistant professor (2005-2015), and associate professor. The UCP appointed him Vice-Rector in 2012 and Dean of the Faculty of Theology in 2018.^[5] During the academic year 2011–12, he was a Straus Fellow at New York University, joining an international team of researchers working on the theme "Religion and Public Reason".^[6]

At the service of culture

De Mendonça was the first director of the National Secretariat of the Pastoral of Culture from 2004 to 2014, an institution created by the Portuguese Episcopal Conference to promote dialogue between the Church and the broader cultural milieu of the country.^[7]

After attending a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI bringing together a large number of artists in 2009, he said that the Pope's gesture of hospitality was appreciated. Benedict pointed out that "within the Church, within the Christian space, they have their home, a sort of homeland".^[8] In 2011 Benedict XVI appointed him a consultor of the Pontifical Council for Culture.^[9] Pope Francis reappointed him to this position in 2016.

In 2018 Pope Francis invited de Mendonça to preach the Lenten Retreat of the Roman Curia.^{[10] [11]} Besides the Bible, his comments referenced many writers, such as Fernando Pessoa, Roland Barthes, Clarice Lispector, Françoise Dolto, Etty Hillesum and Blaise Pascal. He commented: "Sometimes writers are important spiritual masters."^[1] He also mentioned that he tells his biblical students that "a biblical scholar or a priest must see many movies, listen to a lot of music and get in touch with the arts world". These sermons were published under the title Elogio da Sede with a preface by Pope Francis.^[12]

In January 2020, de Mendonça was part of the scientific commission for the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri's death (1265-1321) organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture.^[13]

In February 2020, Pope Francis appointed de Mendonça as a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, chaired by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. De Mendonça had been a consultor between 2011 and 2018.^[14]

On 13 June 2020, de Mendonça is laureate of Prémio Europeu Helena Vaz da Silva because of "the ability he shows in spreading beauty and poetry as part of the intangible cultural heritage of Europe and the world".^[15]

Under the leadership of Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça, as part of the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Modern Art Collection of the Vatican Museums, the Dicastery of Culture and Education is the main organiser of a meeting between Pope Francis and some two hundred representatives of the cultural world, artists, writers, composers, musicians, actors, architects, etc. from all over the world. This event, the first since 2009, when José Tolentino de Mendonça took part, takes place on 23 June 2023 in the Sistine Chapel. The participants include Ken Loach, Anish Kapoor, Andres Serrano and many others.^[16]

Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça is the commissioner of the Vatican pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale (20.04.2024-24.11.2024). The pavilion is being held in La Giudecca women's prison, which is still in operation. Eighty inmates are serving long sentences there, and some of them have agreed to guide visitors on their way to La Giudecca. Pope Francis, the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale, visits the pavilion on 28 April.^[17]

De Mendonça has published numerous collections of essays, spiritual writings, poems and sermons under the name José Tolentino Mendonça. This work addresses the major themes of the Christian canon by placing them in dialogue with life. The relationship between Christianity and culture is at the heart of his writings. As a theologian and religious thinker, he has sought to discover spiritual life in places which have not always been looked at, and he has striven to encourage the Church to be more relevant and more engaged there. His books have been great successes in Portugal and are increasingly translated and published abroad. He has received numerous literary prizes and awards.^{[18] [19] [20] [21]}

Bishop and cardinal

At the end of June 2018, Pope Francis named de Mendonça Vatican archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church as of 1 September and appointed him titular archbishop of Suava.^[22] On 28 July, Archbishop Manuel Clemente, Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, consecrated him a bishop assisted by Cardinal António Marto, Bishop of Leiria-Fátima, and Teodoro de Faria, Bishop Emeritus of Funchal who had ordained him a priest in July 1990.^[23] On 5 October 2019, Pope Francis made him a Cardinal-Deacon and assigned him the church of Santi Domenico e Sisto in Rome.^[24] He was made a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture on 21 February 2020.^[25]

On 17 November 2020, Pope Francis appointed de Mendonça a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.^[26]

On 30 April 2022, Pope Francis appointed de Mendonça a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro.^[27]

On 13 July 2022 Pope Francis appointed 13 new members to the Dicastery for Bishops, including 3 women. Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça is one of the 11 other members of this dicastery, whose prefect is Cardinal Marc Ouellet.^[28] On 26 September 2022, Pope Francis named him prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education.^[29]

On 7 September 2023, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça a member of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, of which Cardinal Arthur Roche is the Prefect.^[30]

On 1 June 2024, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, of which Cardinal Victor Manuiel Fernández is the Prefect.^[31]

Writings

in Portuguese

• Os dias contados (poetry, 1990)
• As estratégias do desejo: um discurso bíblico sobre a sexualidade (essay, 1994)
• Longe não sabia (poetry, 1997)
• A que distância deixaste o coração (poetry, 1998)
• Se eu quiser falar com Deus (1996)
• Baldios (poetry, 1999)
• Cântico dos Cânticos (1999)
• De Igual para Igual (poetry, 2000)
• A construção de Jesus: uma leitura narrativa de Lucas 7,36-50 (essay, 2004)
• A estrada branca (poetry, 2005)
• Perdoar Helena (play, 2005)
• Tábuas de pedra (poetry, 2006)
• A noite abre os meus olhos (poetry, 2006)
• Pentateuco (2006)
• Bíblia ilustrada (4 books, 2007)
• A leitura infinita. Bíblia e interpretação (essay, 2008)
• O Viajante sem sono (poetry, 2009)
• Histórias escolhidas da Bíblia (2009)
• O tesouro escondido (essay, 2011)
• Um deus que dança (prayers, 2011)
• Pai-nosso que estais na terra (essay, 2011)
• Nenhum caminho será longo (essay, 2012)
• O hipopótamo de Deus (essay, 2013)
• Os rostos de Jesus (2013)
• A papoila e o monge (poetry, 2013)
• O estado do bosque (play, 2013)
• A mística do instante (essay, 2014)
• A leitura infinita (essay, 2014)
• Estação central (poetry, 2015)
• Que coisa são as nuvens (a selection of the best stories published by the weekly Expresso, 2015)
• Esperar contra toda a esperança (essay, 2015)
• Desporto, ética e transcendência (essay, 2015)
• A construção de Jesus (essay, 2015)
• Corrigir os que erram (essay, 2016)
• Teoria da fronteira (poetry, 2017)
• Libertar o tempo. Para uma arte espiritual do presente (essay, 2017)
• O pequeno caminho das grandes perguntas (essay, 2017)
• Elogio da sede (essays delivered at the Lenten retreat preached before the pope and the Roman Curia, 2018)^[32]
• Requiem pela Aurora de Amanhã (libretto for a work composed by João Madureira marking the centenary of the end of World War I; it premiered on 20 July 2018 in the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém.)^[33]
• Nos passos de Etty Hillesum, with co-editor Filipe Condado (photos), (photobiography, 2019)
• Uma Beleza que nos Pertence (Aforismos) (essay, 2019)
• Palavra e Vida 2020 O Evangelho comentado cada dia(commentary of each daily gospel of the year, 2019)
• O que é amar um país (essay, 2020)
• Rezar de olhos abertos (prayers, 2020)
• Introdução a pintura rupestre (poetry, 2021)
• A questão sobre Deus e o não saber (co-written with the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira) (essay, 2022)
• Metamorfose necessária (Reler São Paulo) (essay, 2022)

in English

• Hidden Treasure: The Art of Searching Within (Alba House, 2014)
• Our Father who Art on Earth: The Lord's Prayer for Believers and Unbelievers (Paulist Press, 2013)
• No Journey Will Be Too Long: Friendship in Christian Life (Paulist Press, 2015)
• Religion and Culture in the Process of Global Change: Portuguese Perspectives, with co-editors Alfredo Teixeira, Alexandre Palma (Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change, Series VIII, Vol. 19, Council for Research in Values & Philosophy, 2016)
• Jesus and the Woman: Revealing God's Mercy (Paulist Press, 2017)
• Thirst: Our Desire for God, God's Desire for Us (Paulist Press, 2019), retreat preached before the Pope and the Roman Curia during Lent 2018

Honours and awards

Honours

• Commander of the Order of Prince Henry, 28 June 2001^[34]
• Commander of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword, 4 December 2015
• Medal of Merit of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, 14 November 2019.^[35]
• On 27 March 2024, the Lisbon City Council unanimously decides to award the Medal of Honour of the City of Lisbon to Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça, a Portuguese personality of universal expression, with recognized contributions to peace and development^[36]
• On 19 June 2024, in Lisbon, on the occasion of the presentation of the Pessoa 2023 Prize, awarded to Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça on 14 December 2023, the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, presented him with the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword.^[37]

Coat of Arms

Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça
Year Adopted:	5 October 2019
Coronet:	Galero of a Cardinal of the Catholic Church
Escutcheon:	Gules, an Lilium Or
Supporters:	Patriarchal cross
Motto:	Considerate lilia agri - Mt 6,28 (Latin for "Consider the lilies of the field")
Symbolism:	The lily alludes to Saint Joseph, the source of the Cardinal's given name.
Previous Versions:	When made an archbishop in 2018, Tolentino de Mendonça adopted a more complex coat of arms. Party per pall: the first Gules, an Elephant forcené Or; the second Or, a Lilium proper; the third Argent, an open Book proper bound Gules with the Greek letter Α on the dexter page and the Greek letter Ω on the sinister page both Gules.

Awards

• Laureate of Prémio Cidade de Lisboa de Poesia (1998)^[38]
• PEN Clube Português Award (2005)^[39]
• Inês de Castro Foundation Literary Award (2009)^[40]
• Finalist of the Casino da Póvoa Literary Award (2011)^[41]
• Finalist of the Casino da Póvoa Literary Award (2015)^[42]
• Literary Award Res Magnae (Italy, 2015)^[43]
• Grand Award APE/CM of Loulé - for "Que coisa são as nuvens" (2016)^[44]
• Grande Poetry Award Teixeira de Pascoaes (2016) for "A noite abre os meus olhos"^[45]
• Capri-San Michele Special Award (Italy, 2017)
• A life of ... passion Award (Italy, Avvenire, 2018)^[46]
• Co-winner of the "Cassidorio il Grande" Prize (Italy, 2019)^[47]
• Winner of Basilicata Award for spiritual literature and religious poetry (Italy, 2021) ^[48]
• "2022 D. Dinis Award" granted by the Casa de Mateus Foundation for "Introdução à pintura rupestre" (2023)^[49]
• "2023 Francisco de Sá de Miranda Literature Award" for "Introdução à pintura rupestre" (2023)^[50]
• "2023 LericiPea poetry Award" (Italy) for his work as a whole^[51]

Other honours

• Top 100 Most Influential Portuguese of 2012 by Expresso magazine (2012)
• In June 2019, the weekly magazine of Expresso included de Mendonça on its list of the fifty "mighty, influent, innovative, provocative and eminent people who marked our life during the past year".^[52]
• The editorial team at Expresso chose de Mendonça as their Portuguese personality of the year for 2019.^[53]
• January 2020: de Mendonça is part of the scientific commission for the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri's death (1265-1321) chaired by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. An initiative organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture.^[13]
• University of Coimbra Award (2021)^[54]
• The President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, chooses Tolentino de Mendonça to preside over the ceremony marking Portugal Day of 10 June 2020, the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities, at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém ^{[55] [56]}
• On 14 December 2021 Cardinal D. José Tolentino de Mendonça becomes an honorary member of the Portuguese Naval Academy in a ceremony presided over by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa^[57]
• On 18 December 2022 the Cardinal wins the first edition of the Ilídio Pinho Grand Prize in a ceremony presided over by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The prize aims to honour personalities dedicated to the "promotion and defence of the universal values of portugality".^[58]
• On 14 December 2023, the cardinal receives the Pessoa Prize, an initiative of the weekly magazine Expresso and the Caixa Geral de Depósitos to recognise the activities of living Portuguese people who have played a significant role in the country's cultural and scientific life.^[59]
• On 15 December 2023, the University of Aveiro (Portugal) awarded an honorary degree to cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça for his global vision of the world and his ability to bring a cultural dimension to the discussion of the problems of our time^[60]
• On 25 January 2024, the Catholic University of Pernambuco (Unicap) in Brazil confers the title of Doctor Honoris Causa to Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça, who has been known there since 2009: an itinerant professor, he has given courses and lectures there, and presented several of his books when they were published in Brazil.^[61]

See also

• Cardinals created by Francis

References

Additional sources

• News: fr. La Croix . Le père José Tolentino Mendonça, un auteur spirituel portugais aux archives du Vatican . Claire . Lesegretain . 26 June 2018.

External links

• Web site: Mendonça Card. José Tolentino de. . 28 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926193831/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_mendoncacalacade_jt.html . 26 September 2022 . live.

Notes and References

1. News: Borga . Marcos . Tolentino Mendonça: O poeta que o Papa quis ouvir . 30 June 2018 . 26 June 2018. pt.
2. Web site: José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça. ucp.pt. pt. 25 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180726005903/https://www.ucp.pt/site/resources/documents/Reitoria/CV%20REITORIA/Curriculo%20Pe.%20Tolentino%20Mendon%C3%A7a.pdf. 26 July 2018.
3. Web site: Bem-Vindos à Capela do Rato. capeladorato.org. pt. 25 July 2018.
4. Web site: PROVINCE OF PORTUGAL MARKS DOMINICAN JUBILEE WITH ADMISSION OF CARDINAL IN THE PRIESTLY FRATERNITIES. Ordo Praedicatorum. 18 August 2021. 2 February 2022.
5. Web site: Padre Jose Tolentino Mendonca novo director da faculdade de teologia. pt.
6. Web site: 2011-2012 Fellows. New York University Law School . 25 July 2018.
7. News: Em louvor de Tolentino Mendonça. pt .
8. News: Priest-Poet Evaluates Pope's Meeting With Artists . 30 June 2018 . Zenit . 27 November 2009.
9. News: El sacerdote y poeta José Tolentino Mendonça, nombrado Consultor del Pontificio Consejo de la Cultura . 30 June 2018 . Hijas de San Pablo . 19 December 2011 . pt.
10. News: Pope chooses Portuguese priest-poet to lead Lenten retreat . 29 June 2018 . Crux . Catholic News Service . 29 January 2018 . 30 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180630000013/https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/01/29/pope-chooses-portuguese-priest-poet-lead-lenten-retreat/ .
11. News: Pope's Spiritual Exercises: Despite Our Being 'Incomplete' & 'Under Construction,' Jesus Offers Us Unconditional Love . 30 June 2018 . Zenit . 19 February 2018.
12. News: Gomes . João Francisco . Tolentino Mendonça: 'Achava que tinha sonhado que o Papa me tinha convidado para orientar o retiro' . 30 June 2018 . El Observador . 22 April 2018 . pt.
13. Web site: DANTE CENTENARY - SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. www.cultura.va. en. 10 January 2020.
14. Web site: Cardeal Tolentino Mendonça passa a integrar Conselho Pontifício da Cultura. 7 Margens. pt. 21 February 2020 . 21 February 2020.
15. Web site: Jose-Tolentino-Mendonca-vence-Premio-Europeu-Helena-Vaz-da-Silva . Expresso. pt. 13 June 2020. 13 June 2020.
16. News: Pope Francis invites artists to the Sistine Chapel as the Vatican seeks a new cultural dialogue. The Washington Post. en. 2 July 2023 . 23 June 2023.
17. News: Insider art: Vatican sets up Biennale pavilion at Venice women's jail. The Guardian. en. 1 May 2024 . 18 April 2024.
18. Web site: Zé Tolentino. António Lobo Antunes. visao.sapo.pt. pt. 10 May 2018. 22 July 2018.
19. Web site: Livros, poesia, encontros: José Tolentino Mendonça entre Macau, Paris e Lisboa. Rui Jorge . Martins. snpcultura.org. pt. 9 October 2014. 22 July 2018.
20. Web site: José Tolentino Mendonça propõe o silêncio a Património Imaterial da Humanidade. cm-pvarzim.pt. pt. 24 February 2016. 22 July 2018.
21. Web site: José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça. Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda . pt. 10 May 2018. 22 July 2018.
22. Resignations and Appointments, 26.06.2018 . 26 June 2018. 28 June 2018 . Holy See Press Office.
23. News: Arcebispo Tolentino Mendonça continua a ser poeta. "Para mim não há diferença entre uma biblioteca e um jardim" . pt. 28 July 2018. 28 July 2018 . Observador . João Francisco . Gomes.
24. 5 October 2019 . 5 October 2019 . Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico: Assegnazione dei Titoli, 05.10.2019 . it . Holy See Press Office .
25. Holy See Press Office . 3 March 2020 . it . Rinunce e nomine, 21.02.2020 . 21 February 2020 .
26. Radio Renascença . 18 November 2020 . pt . Cardeal Tolentino nomeado membro da Congregação para a Evangelização dos Povos . 17 November 2020 .
27. Sala Stampa della Santa Sede . 8 May 2022 . it . Rinunce e nomine. 30 April 2022 .
28. 16 July 2022 . 13 July 2022 . en . Pope names three women to Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops. Vatican News.
29. 26 September 2022 . 26 September 2022 . Rinunce e nomine, 26.09.2022 . Holy See Press Office . it .
30. 4 October 2023 . 8 September 2023 . Tolentino Mendonça nomeado membro do Dicastério para o Culto Divino . pt . 7 Margens.
31. 4 June 2024 . 1 June 2024. Resignations and Appointments, 01.06.2024 . en . holy see press office.
32. Web site: Elogio da Sede, Apresentação do Livro de José Tolentino Mendonça . 29 September 2019 . 27 April 2018 . José Frazão . Correia . Ponto SJ.
33. News: Público . pt . 29 September 2019 . 28 July 2018 . A guerra e a paz em novas criações musicais . Cristina . Fernandes .
34. Web site: Jose Tolentino Mendonça, poeta, professor e cardeal. 1 September 2019. Porto Canal. pt. 1 October 2019.
35. Web site: Medalha de mérito atribuída por unanimidade a Tolentino Mendonça. Franco. Erica. www.dnoticias.pt. pt-PT. 14 November 2019.
36. Web site: Lisboa: Município atribui Medalha de Honra da Cidade ao cardeal Tolentino Mendonça. www.agencia.ecclesia.pt. pt-PT. 30 March 2024.
37. Web site: Cardeal José Tolentino Mendonça recebe Prémio Pessoa. www.sicnoticias.pt. pt-PT. 22 June 2024.
38. Web site: José Tolentino Mendonça. wook.pt. pt. 22 October 2019.
39. Web site: Pen Clube atribui varios premios exaequo. 27 October 2005. publico.pt. pt. 21 October 2019.
40. Web site: Prémio Ines de Castro para Tolentino Mendonça. 30 January 2010. agencia.ecclesia.pt. pt. 21 October 2019.
41. Web site: Prémio literário Casino da Póvoa. cm-pvarzim.pt. pt. 21 October 2019.
42. Web site: Trezes obras de poesia finalistas ao premio literario Casino da Póvoa-2015. 9 January 2015. publico.pt. pt. 21 October 2019.
43. Web site: Autor Português recebe prémio literario. 19 November 2015. vidas.pt. pt. 21 October 2019.
44. Web site: Jose Tolentino Mendonça . 1 October 2019 . Quetzal Editores . pt.
45. Web site: Jose Tolentino Mendonca vence grande premio de poesia teixeira de pascoaes. 18 November 2016. rr.sapo.pt. pt. 21 October 2019. 21 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191021150639/https://rr.sapo.pt/2016/11/18/vida/jose-tolentino-mendonca-vence-grande-premio-de-poesia-teixeira-de-pascoaes/noticia/68890/.
46. Web site: D. José Tolentino Mendonça recebe prémio do jornal italiano Avvenire e fala sobre 'Rostos e estilos de vida dos crentes'. Martins. Rui Jorge. 1 September 2018. Pastoral da Cultura. pt. 30 September 2019.
47. Web site: Successo per la X edizione del "Premio Cassiodoro il Grande" al Politeama di Catanzaro. 18 December 2019. catanzarotv.net. it. 17 February 2020.
48. Web site: LA CINQUANTESIMA EDIZIONE DEL PREMIO LETTERARIO BASILICATA – I VINCITORI DELLE SEZIONI DI NARRATIVA, PARITA' DI GENERE E PARI OPPORTUNITA', LETTERATURA SPIRITUALE E POESIA RELIGIOSA. premioletterariobasilicata.it. 8 October 2021 . it. 26 October 2021.
49. Web site: Prémio D. Diniz atribuído a José Tolentino de Mendonça e Jorge Calado. 21 March 2023. Diario de Noticias. pt. 11 April 2023.
50. Web site: José Tolentino Mendonça vence Prémio Literário Francisco de Sá de Miranda. 16 June 2023. Diario de Noticias. pt. 25 June 2023.
51. Web site: Premio LericiPea "alla Carriera" 2023 a Sua Eminenza il Cardinale José Tolentino de Mendonça. 29 September 2023. Gazzetta della Spezia. it. 15 February 2024.
52. Web site: Os consagrados de Portugal . Expresso . pt. 30 June 2019 . 29 September 2019.
53. Web site: as-nossas-escolhas-de-2019 . Expresso . pt . 21 December 2019 . 21 December 2019 .
54. Web site: Cardeal Tolentino Mendonça distinguido com o Prémio Universidade de Coimbra. 26 February 2021. Pastoral da Cultura. pt. 26 February 2021.
55. Web site: Marcelo escolhe Tolentino Mendonça para presidir às comemorações do 10 de Junho de 2020. Tiago . Petinga . 29 September 2019 . Lusa. Expresso . pt. 24 July 2019.
56. Web site: Pode ler aqui na íntegra a intervenção de José Tolentino Mendonça no Dia de Portugal . 13 June 2020. dnoticias . pt. 13 June 2020.
57. Web site: Dom José Tolentino Mendonça torna-se membro honorário da Academia de Marinha. 21 December 2021 . Marinha . pt. 14 December 2021.
58. Web site: 'Prémio Fundação Ilídio Pinho' entregue a D. José Tolentino Mendonça na Câmara do Porto e com a presença de Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. 20 December 2022 . etcetaljornal.pt . pt. 19 December 2021.
59. Web site: José Tolentino de Mendonça é o Prémio Pessoa 2023. 14 December 2023 . pt. 15-12-2022. 14 May 2024.
60. News: Tolentino Mendonça e Céline Cousteau doutorados "honoris causa" pela Universidade de Aveiro. setemargens.com. pt. 14 May 2024. 8 December 2023.
61. News: pt. Cardeal recebe título de Doutor Honoris Causa da Unicap. 15 May 2024. www.diariodepernambuco.com.br.