The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Zamora, Spain, the Reverend Fernando Valera Sánchez, of the clergy of Cartagena, until now episcopal vicar and spiritual director of the major seminary.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Fernando Valera Sánchez was born on March 7, 1960, in Bullas, province of Murcia and diocese of Cartagena. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology in the diocesan seminary. He was ordained a priest on September 18, 1983. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy at the San Antonio Catholic University of Murcia and a doctorate in spiritual theology at the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid. He completed his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1998-2000).
He has held the offices of parish vicar of Nuestra Señora del Rosario in La Unión, San Nicolás de Bari in Estrecho de San Ginés (1983-1994) and of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Molina de Segura (1984-1990). He was parish priest of San Antonio de Padua in Mazarrón (1990-1991), missionary in Bolivia (1991-1992), parish priest of Nuestra Señora de Loreto in Algezares (1994-1997), parish priest in the team of various parishes (1997-1998), parish priest of Santiago Apóstol in Lorquí (2000-2004), of Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Puente Tocinos (2004-2005) and of La Purísima in Javalí Nuevo (2005-2011). Since 2010 he has served as episcopal vicar, and since 2011, spiritual director of the major seminary.
