Pope Francis appoints New Archbishop and Bishop for Mexico

Pope Francis named a new archbishop and a bishop for Mexico. This is Mons. José Francisco González González, who will assume the Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, in the State of Chiapas, and Fr. Andrés Sáinz Márquez, designated for the prelature of Jesus María – El Nayar.

The announcement was made this morning by the press office of the Holy See and communicated in Mexico for the Apostolic Nunciature through the Mexican Episcopate Conference, which, in an official message, expressed his best wishes for a “fruitful performance in his new episcopal encomienda that the Lord has entrusted to him”.

Who is José Francisco González González?

Born on March 17, 1966 in Yahualica, in the state of Jalisco, Mons. González was ordered priest in 1995 for the Archdiocese of Guadalajara.

Subsequently, he obtained degrees in Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Santa Cruz and in Biblical Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, both in Rome (Italy).

In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him auxiliary bishop of Guadalajara, and in 2014 he assumed as Bishop of Campeche, where he exercised his ministry for 11 years. Now he arrives at the Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, who remained vacant since November 2023, after the death of Mons. Fabio Martínez Castilla.

The Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez attends to a population of approximately 2 million people and has 79 parishes, 165 priests and 300 religious.

Who is Fr. Andrés Sáinz Márquez?

Born on August 16, 1969 in Arandas, Jalisco, Fr. Sáinz Márquez was ordered priest in 1996 after his training in the Seminary of San Juan de los Lagos. It has a degree in Psychology, a master’s degree in systemic family therapy and a doctorate in Human Development Sciences from the University of the Valley of Atemajac (UNIVA).

He has developed wide work in the field of mental health and suicide prevention. He is the founder of the Mental Health Clinic “Integral Health of the Altos AC”, and has collaborated with the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) with studies on suicide and has participated in international congresses. He was also a professor of psychology at the Diocesan Seminary of San Juan de los Lagos and has held various pastoral positions.

Now he will assume the prelature of Jesús María – El Nayar that covers territories of the states of Nayarit, Durango, Jalisco and Zacatecas, and has an important presence of indigenous communities Wixarikas, Coras and Tepehuanes. According to the Pontifical Yearbook 2023, it has 27 priests for an approximate population of 155,000 faithful.