He studied at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome from 1962 to 1967 where he earned a doctorate utriusque iuris (in both canon and civil law) in 1967.

His dissertation, "El Derecho de asociación en la Iglesia" (The right of association in the Church), was published by the Theological Faculty of Catalonia.

He opposed legislation introduced in the Catalan parliament in December 2007 requiring local governments to set aside land for mosques and other places of worship.

He said that "A church, a synagogue or a mosque are not the same thing" and that the law "impinges on our ability to exercise a fundamental right, that of religious liberty.

[citation needed] He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.