Home · Faith · Sep 8 archive
Pope Leo Appoints Coadjutor Bishop for Puerto Rico’s Youngest Diocese
Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Gerardo Antonio Vargas Cruz as coadjutor bishop for the Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, the third such nomination in under three months.
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Gerardo Antonio Vargas Cruz as coadjutor bishop for the Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, the third such nomination in under three months. Vargas Cruz, 49, will serve alongside Bishop Luis Francisco Miranda Rivera, who has led the diocese since 2020 and is three years short of the typical retirement age for bishops.
The Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, erected in 2008, serves approximately 63,500 Catholics, about 30% of the area’s total population. Vargas Cruz, a theology professor and former prison chaplain, has served as the vicar for clergy in the Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico since 2022.
The appointment has been received with considerable enthusiasm and unity across the community. The Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe rejoiced with the Church as Pope Leo XIV announced the appointment of Br. Vargas, and the diocese serves the faithful throughout the eastern region of the Puerto Rican archipelago.
The Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, also known as the Diocese of El Yunque, encompasses 21 parishes across 10 municipalities. Bishop-elect Gerardo will assist Bishop Luis Francisco Miranda Rivera and advance the mission established in recent years, taking over the role of diocesan bishop at an appropriate time.
What's confirmed
- A press conference to introduce the new coadjutor bishop was scheduled to take place at St.
- Vargas, 49, is from Mayagüez, a town on the western coast of Puerto Rico.
What's still developing
- The Pope celebrates Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano The Pope told the seminarians that the call of God is gratuitous and not based on any merit of theirs, adding that their presence is a sign of hope for the Church in that God continues to call.
- Fifteen bishops joined participants in a strong show of support for unborn life while demonstrators disrupted the opening Mass and protested alongside the London march.