Colombia: Diocese will be administered by a priest while waiting for the Pope to name the new bishop

Following what is established by the Code of Canon Law, the college of consultants of the Diocese of Yopal (Colombia) has appointed Father Jeison Andrey Salguero Roa as diocesan administrator, waiting for Pope Francis to name the new bishop.

The diocese located in the department of Casanare was pastored by Bishop Edgar Aristizábal Quintero until May 24, when the Pontiff appointed him Bishop of Duitama-Sogamoso, of which he took possession on July 19.

The Code of Canon Law states that when a diocese becomes vacant and lacks an auxiliary bishop, the government falls to the college of consultants—made up of priests—which must appoint the diocesan administrator.

For this reason, on July 22, the college of consultants of the Diocese of Yopal appointed Father Salguero Roa, who had been serving as diocesan delegate of Communications and parish priest at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Yopal, since 2021.

In its websitethe Episcopal Conference of Colombia (CEC) shared statements by Father Salguero Roa, who pointed out that the Diocese of Yopal has “priority needs about which we ask that the grace of God help us,” as well as “in the relations of the Church with government entities, because a kingdom is built in the midst of earthly reality, in which we can serve as a Church at the level of a humanitarian fabric.”

Likewise, he asked for God’s help to “continue to energize the pastoral care; The pastoral care of the diocese does not stop and it is important to move forward, always facilitating this communion, this unity and this particular missionary action of our diocese.”

“We also have to work in the line of vocational life, since it is a pressing need for us: to have vocations that accompany all this dynamic,” he expressed.

Who is Father Jeison Andrey Salguero?

Father Jeison Andrey Salguero Roa was born on February 2, 1984 in the municipality of Macanal, in the south of the department of Boyacá.

He studied Philosophy at the Conciliar Seminary of Tunja. He studied Theology between the Nuestra Señora del Carmen Seminary in Restrepo, department of Meta, and the Inmaculada Concepción de María de Pereira Seminary, department of Risaralda.

Between 2016 and 2020, the new diocesan administrator studied Social Communication at the Salesian University in Rome and at the International University of Limerick in Ireland.

Among the positions held by Father Salguero Roa in Yopal are: parochial vicar in the Sagrada Familia parish, parish administrator of the San Miguel Arcángel parish, parish priest of the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús parish and delegate of Media of the Diocese.