Bishops elect the new president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia

This Tuesday, July 2, the new board of directors of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia (CEC) was elected, which will be chaired during the 2024-2027 triennium by Mons. Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, Archbishop of Cartagena.

On its website, the Episcopate reported that the new vice president will be the Archbishop of Tunja, Mons. Gabriel Ángel Villa Vahos, and the position of general secretary will be assumed by the Bishop of Engativá, Mons. Germán Medina Acosta.

In that sense, Bishop Múnera will succeed the Archbishop of Bogotá, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, as president; Bishop Gabriel Ángel will replace Bishop Omar Alberto Sánchez Cubillos, Archbishop of Popayán; and Monsignor Germán will replace Monsignor Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, appointed on March 14 of this year as Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Bishop Francisco Múnera is a missionary of the Consolata. On February 11, 1999, Saint John Paul II appointed him Apostolic Vicar of San Vicente-Puerto Leguízamo, of which he would be the first bishop when on May 30, 2019, Pope Francis elevated this jurisdiction to a diocese.

On March 25, 2021, Francisco appointed him Archbishop of Cartagena, which he took office on May 22 of that year.

For his part, Mons. Gabriel Ángel Villa was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos. Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Ocaña on May 15, 2014 and he received episcopal ordination on July 26 of that year.

On February 11, 2020, the Holy Father appointed him Archbishop of Tunja.

Finally, Bishop Germán Medina trained in the Archdiocese of Bogotá, of which he was appointed auxiliary bishop on July 11, 2021. He received episcopal ordination on August 14 of that year.

On June 29, Bishop Medina was appointed Bishop of Engativá.

In a statementthe outgoing board expressed its desire that the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, patron saint of the country, assist the bishops “who assume these positions of co-responsibility to encourage, energize and strengthen the evangelizing mission of the Church in Colombia and contribute effectively to the good of the society in our homeland.”