(ANS – Città del Vaticano) – On Saturday 2nd February, having accepted the resignation of Mgr. Jesús Pérez Rodríguez, OFM, from the pastoral Government of the Archdiocese of Sucre, Bolivia, the Holy Father Benedict XVI has also accepted as the new Metropolitan Archbishop, Mgr. Jesús Juárez Párraga, SDB, previously Bishop of El Alto.

Mgr. Juárez Párraga, was born on July 22nd, 1942 at Alquerias (Murcia, Spain). In 1960 he entered the Salesian novitiate of Ibi, Spain, on August 3rd, 1967 and made his perpetual profession in Cochabamba, Bolivia. After completing his Theological studies and Pedagogy at Benediktbeuern, Germany, he was ordained a priest at Alquerias on December 16th, 1972.

Returning to Bolivia he has carried out pastoral activities in Santa Cruz until 1977 and was Vicar of the Province "Our Lady of Copacabana" from 1979 to 1985. On 18 June 1988 he was consecrated titular bishop of Gummi as Proconsular and Archdiocesan Auxiliary Bishop of La Paz. On June 25th, 1994 he was appointed first bishop of the Diocese of El Alto.

He was Vice-president (2000-2003), Secretary General (1991-1994 and 2003-2009) of the Bolivian Episcopal Conference and Chairman of various committees. He is currently President of Social Pastoral - Caritas and of Pastoral care in prisons in Bolivia.

Published 04/02/2013