 In the 1980s and 90s he was a member of the Commission of six bishops that edited the Catechism of the Catholic Church and oversaw the production of its Spanish translation.Pope Benedict XVI made him Cardinal-Priest of San Gabriele Arcangelo all'Acqua Traversa on 20 November 2010 at the age of 84.He died on 21 July 2019 at the age of 93.