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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Today the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the diocese of Buenaventura (Colombia), presented by His Exc. Mgr. Héctor Epalza Quintero, P.S.S. The Pope appointed Fr. Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya, Pastor and Rector of the Catholic University of Pereira, as Bishop of the Diocese of Buenaventura.
The new Bishop was born on August 15, 1966 in Santa Rosa de Cabal (Risaralda), in the Diocese of Pereira. He entered Maria Inmaculada Major Seminary of the Diocese of Pereira for his Philosophy and Theology studies (1985-1992). He attended the Catholic University of Pereira (2009), where he obtained a licentiate in Educación Religious. Later, he obtained a specialization at Gerencia de Instituciones de Educación Superior at Santo Tomás University in Bogotá. He was ordained a priest on October 4, 1992 and incardinated in the Diocese of Pereira.
Since his ordination he has held the following offices: 1993: Parish Vicar in Sanctuario, Risaralda; 1993-1995: Parish Vicar in Apía, Risaralda; 1995-1997: Parish priest in Villa Santana, Pereira; 1997-1999: Director of the Diocesan Secretariat for Social Pastoral Care; 2000-2006: Director of the Diocesan Caritas; 2007-2009: Rector of the Universidad Católica Popular of Risalda; 2009-2010: Rector of the Baltasar Álvarez Restrepo College; 2010-2011: Parish priest in Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús, Dosquebradas; 2011-2014: Bursar of the Diocese of Pereira; from 2014 to 2016 Rector of the María Inmaculada Major Seminar of Pereira. Since 2017 Parish priest of San Martin de Porres, Pereira. He is currently the Rector of the Universidad Católica of Pereira.
The Diocese of Buenaventura (1996) has an area of 6,297 sq km and a population of 407,675 inhabitants, of whom 306,000 are Catholics. There are 38 priests (23 diocesan and 15 religious), 15 religious brothers, 12 religious women. There are 6 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 30/6/2017)
