(ANS - Loja) – On Saturday 18 January, Fr Alfredo Espinoza Mateus, SDB, was ordained Bishop. He was appointed Bishop of Loja by Pope Francis in the month of December. The new Bishop called for "a pastoral ministry of closeness and dialogue."

The Ordination Mass was presided over by Bishop James Guido Ottonello, Apostolic Nuncio in Ecuador, with concelebrants Bishop Luis Sánchez Armijos, SDB, Bishop Emeritus of Machala and Bishop Julio Parrilla of Riobamba. Fr Marcelo Farfán, Provincial of the Salesians in Ecuador, was also present.

In his homily, Bishop Ottonello said: "As bishop and successor of the apostles, always in communion with the successor of Peter, you receive from the Lord the mission of teaching the people, preaching the Gospel so that all men may attain salvation through faith, Baptism and the observance of the commandments. (...) Do not forget that in the person of the bishop, Jesus is present among his people, and by your service you will announce fearlessly the Word of God and sanctify the faithful through the sacraments."

After the rite of consecration, Msgr. Parrilla, addressing the new bishop, said: "We thank God for giving us a good pastor in Loja! God bless you, dear brother. May God fill your heart with the wisdom typical of this land of Loja. I am very glad that you, the bishop, are a son of Don Bosco like myself."

Bishop Espinoza Mateus then expressed his thanks to those present. He said that everyone had a space in his heart as a Bishop. He then invited everyone to work towards "a pastoral ministry of closeness and a culture of dialogue."

He then thanked his mother, Consuelo, who is accompanying him from heaven, and his father for all the support given, his sisters, and all the Salesians. Finally, he said that would never cease to be a Salesian.

In response, Fr Farfán addressed Bishop Espinoza Mateus and said: "I want you to live this service that the Church asks of you with the heart of Don Bosco. I thank the city of Loja for the vocations it has given and for accepting Bishop Alfred." And, as a final gesture, he gave the new Bishop of Loja some relics of Don Bosco.

The Mass of ordination was attended by about 1,000 people - parishioners, Salesians, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, other religious congregations of priests, relatives, representatives of the groups of the Salesian Family, the authorities of the city of Loja and bishops of Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia and the countries of the Caribbean.

Published 21/01/2014