AMERICA/ARGENTINA - Mgr. Joaquín Piña, the first bishop of Puerto Iguazu has died

Puerto Iguazu (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishop Emeritus of Puerto Iguazu, Mgr. Joaquín Piña Batllevell SJ, died yesterday, July 8 after suffering a heart attack, surgery was performed in an attempt to save his life. The bishop had been transported from Posadas Hospital Austral in Buenos Aires.
Mgr. Joaquín Piña Batllevell, S.J. was born in Sabadell, Spain on May 25, 1930. He entered the Society of Jesus, was ordained priest on 10 December 1961. He was sent to Paraguay and carried out an intensive social work in favor of farmers, stimulating the formation of the Agrarian Leagues who clashed with the regime led by Alfredo Stroessner because of land ownership. On 16 June 1986 he was appointed Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Puerto Iguazu, where the faithful remember him for his great commitment to social pastoral in favor of the poorest groups and the indigenous community guarnì.
The funeral will be held today, Tuesday, July 9 at 6 p.m., in the cathedral church of the Virgen del Carmen in Puerto Iguazu. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 09/07/2013)