Appointment of bishop of San Felipe, Chile
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of San Felipe, Chile, the Reverend Gonzalo Arturo Bravo Salazar, of the clergy of the diocese of Valparaíso, currently parish priest of the El Salvador del Mundo parish in La Matriz – Valparaíso and dean of the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso.
Reverend Gonzalo Arturo Bravo Salazar
The Reverend Gonzalo Arturo Bravo Salazar was born in Valparaíso, Chile, on 30 December 1962. Before entering the seminary he obtained a licentiate in Ciencias Básicas de la Ingeniería and the title of civil engineer at the Federico Santa María Technical University of Valparaíso. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the San Rafael major seminary of Valparaíso. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, and his licentiate and doctorate in biblical theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He received priestly ordination on October 12, 1997, and was incardinated in the diocese of Valparaíso.
He subsequently held the following positions: parish vicar of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores parish in Viña del Mar, Parish Administrator of the Jesús Buen Pastor parish in Valparaíso, professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, diocesan vicar for economic affairs, since 2008 parish priest of the El Salvador del Mundo parish in La Matriz – Valparaíso and, since 2019, dean of the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso.
Appointment of auxiliary of Santiago de Chile, Chile
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Santiago de Chile, Chile, the Reverend Julio Esteban Larrondo Yáñez, of the clergy of the same archdiocese, currently parish priest of the Nuestra Señora de Lourdes parish and episcopal vicar of the southern area of Santiago, assigning him the titular episcopal see of Magarmel.
Reverend Julio Esteban Larrondo Yáñez
The Reverend Julio Esteban Larrondo Yáñez was born in Santiago, Chile, on August 23, 1959. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the major seminary of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile.
He received priestly ordination on December 12, 1992, incardinated in the metropolitan archdiocese of Santiago de Chile.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of the Saint Gabriel Parish, dean of the Obispo Enrique Alvear deanery, parish priest of the Saint Gabriel Parish, formator of the Pontifical Major Seminary of Santiago, parish priest of the Jesús de Nazareth parish, dean of the Alberto Hurtado deanery, member of the team of the vicariate for the clergy, parish priest of the San Luis Bertrán parish and, since 2020, parish priest of the Nuestra Señora de Lourdes parish and episcopal vicar of the southern area of Santiago.
Appointment of auxiliary of Alba Iulia, Romania
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend László Kerekes as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Alba Iulia, Romania, assigning him the titular see of Tharros. Reverend Kerekes, of the clergy of the same archdiocese, is currently parish priest of the “Blessed Eusebio” parish in Târgu Secuiesc.
Reverend László Kerekes
The Reverend László Kerekes was born on July 23. 1968 in Ghelinţa, Gelence, in the archdiocese of Alba Iulia. From 1984 to 1986 he studied at the School of Cantors (minor seminary) in Alba Iulia. Between 1986 and 1987 he completed his military service.
From 1987 to 1990 he studied at the Roman Catholic Theological Institute of Alba Iulia; from 1990 to 1992 he continued his studies at the Theological Academy and the Central Seminary of Budapest in Hungary.
He was ordained a priest on May 16, 1993, in his parish of origin in Ghelinţa in the archdiocese of Alba Iulia, by the then auxiliary Bishop Jakubinyi.
From 1992 to 1994 he obtained a licentiate in canon law, and then, from 2000 to 2004, a doctorate at Saint Paul Catholic University in Ottawa, Canada, working simultaneously with the parish of Saint Ignatius of Antioch for Hungarian-speaking faithful. From 1994 to 2000 he carried out pastoral duties as prefect of discipline, professor of canon law, and rhetoric (homiletics) at the major seminary of Alba Iulia and also as officer at the ecclesiastical marriage tribunal.
Since 2004 he has been parish priest of the “Blessed Eusebio” parish in Târgu Secuiesc. He is also a member of the presbyteral council and the ecclesiastical tribunal of Alba Iulia.
