Argentina: Mons. Giobando took possession as a bishop of Mar del Plata

After thirteen months as an apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Mar del Plata (Argentina), which he arrived in January 2024 after the successive resignations of two bishops before assuming, Mons. Ernesto Giobando took possession this Saturday, February 22 as Bishop diocesan.

The Eucharist, chaired by the Archbishop of La Plata, Mons. Gustavo Carrara, took place in the Cathedral of Saints Pedro and Cecilia, of the city of Mar del Plata, before a great concurrence of faithful and with the presence of local authorities and provincial

Among the concelebrants were the Apostolic Nuncio in Argentina, Mons. Miroslaw Adamczyk; his Jesuit brother, Cardinal Ángel Rossi, Archbishop of Córdoba; The archbishop of Buenos Aires, Mons. Jorge García Cuerva and his emeritus, Cardinal Mario Aurelio Poli, and several more prelates.

“A little over a year ago, precisely thirteen months, I arrived at this diocese of Mar del Plata as an apostolic administrator at the request of the Holy See, and today, at the feast of the Chair of San Pedro, I assume as bishop and pastor of This particular Church, ”said Mons. Giobando in his homily.

Then, he invited the faithful to contemplate two reliefs of the main altar. On the one hand, the scene of the calm storm, before which he encouraged to trust that “even in the middle of the storms the Lord is always, and that we get better or worse, but not the same.”

“How many times we go through storm times or storms! We live in a port where fishermen know the dangers and difficulties of entering a sea that imposes respect. We overcome the storms trusting the Lord, even despite our little faith, ”he said.

The other relief reflects the miraculous fishing scene. In this regard, the brand new bishop shared a reflection: “Throughout this year I thought and prayed in front of this immense sea (in a place that the Lord had reserved for me), he scrutinized the horizon and looked at the shores, hoping that the Lord would tell me and He told us as his flock and as God’s people: ‘Navigate in the sea and throw the networks’ ”, as the disciples did in the Tiberíades Sea.

“So today we also want to go inside, throw the nets again and fish many, to whom they have desire to believe and make this world a common house, a more fair and supportive world,” said the prelate.

Referring to the Gospel, the bishop wanted to share with the community “who Jesus is for me”, and summed up: “He is my friend, who 50 years ago, in the holy year of 1975, called me on the banks of my native holy fe ”

“Jesus is my friend and is our Savior, and to be able to announce it, preaching his gospel to all nations and peoples, it is the most beautiful task that could have touched me,” he said.

Returning about the image of the boat, he said: “No one is obliged to climb, but those who want to do it, once above you have to row together, work together, pray together, trust together, suffer and rejoice together, and that we can give a hand to which it sinks ”.

“The chair is not only the bishop’s chair, but the place where to preside and teach, next to that stone where the Church is built, not with power but with service, not with violence but with meekness,” said Mons. Giobando.

“The Church, today grazing by Pope Francis, entrusts me with the helm of this community, in a boat that is not mine, nor are the networks of mine, nor is this chair of mine,” he said, like the priests, consecrated and consecrated Communities: “They are not mine, I cannot possess and manage my arbitration; They are not mine, I am of you and together we are servants of God, ”he said.

What happened in recent years in the Diocese of Mar del Plata?

In the Diocese of Mar del Plata, located on the Atlantic coast of the province of Buenos Aires, the tensions had their origin after Mons. Gabriel Mestre, who grazed that jurisdiction for almost six years, in July 2023 Archbishop of La Plata, leaving the headquarters vacantly and temporarily in charge of a diocesan administrator, Fr. Luis Albóniga, a member of the local clergy and Vicario General during the grazing of Mons. Mestre.

After the departure of Mons. Mestre of the Diocese, Pope Francis made two failed appointments. The first of them, Mons. José María Baliña, who until then served as auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, and resigned before assuming arguing health and personal problems.

The second appointment went to Mons. Gustavo Larrazábal, auxiliary bishop of San Juan de Cuyo, who also resigned before taking possession, after some media made an old complaint against him for work harassment and abuse of power.

In January 2024, Pope Francis appointed Apostolic Administrator to Mons. Ernesto Giobando, a Jesuit bishop who also served as a assistant to Buenos Aires. One of his first measures was to send Fr. Albóniga to the Diocese of Jujuy, 1,900 kilometers from Mar del Plata, while announcing a “canonical procedure.”

In May 2024, 10 months after appointed, Pope Francis requested the resignation of Mons. Gabriel Mestre to the Archdiocese of La Plata. According to Mestre’s own, the Holy Father requested his resignation “after confronting some different perceptions with what happened in the Diocese of Mar del Plata from November 2023 to the present.”

Currently, Mons. José María Baliña serves as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Chascomús, where Mons. Gabriel Mestre was also appointed pastor of Our Lady of Fatima, in the city of Mar de Ajó.

Mons. Gustavo Larrazábal retains his position as auxiliary bishop of San Juan de Cuy Assign a new destination. The result of the canonical procedure initiated a year ago was not publicly informed.