OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 20 December 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father appointed Fr. Alfredo Espinoza Mateus as bishop of Loja (area 11,476, population 621,000, Catholics 574,000, priests 218, permanent deacons 1, religious 362), Ecuador. The bishop-elect was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1988. He holds a licentiate in science of education from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. He has served in the following roles in the field of education: administrator of several Salesian colleges in Guayaquil, Manta and Riobamba, member of the Permanent Commission of the Salesian National Council for Education, and of the Economic Council of the Salesian Polytechnic University of Ecuador. He is currently director of the Inspectorial House in Quito and Inspectorial delegate of the Vocational Fund of Ecuador. In 2008 he was appointed as delegate of the Salesian Fathers in Ecuador in the 26th General Capital of the Salesians of St. John Bosco.