Friar Ruiz Garnica, the 104th prior general, will hold this office until 2007.
He previously was novice master in Aguascalientes, provincial vicar of the Vicariate of Mexico, and provincial prior of the Mexican Province since its creation in 1995. He succeeds Friar Hubert María Moons.
The Servite order was founded in Florence, Italy, in 1223. It now numbers close to 1,000 religious, including 743 priests. The general chapter in Rome runs Oct. 8-30.
