AMERICA/GUATEMALA - Apostolic Vicar of El Peten appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, on 10 February 2009, appointed Fr. Mario Fiandri, SDB, President of the Salesian Theologate in Guatemala, Apostolic Vicar of El Peten (Guatemala), assigning him the titular see of Madarsuma.
Fr. Mario Fiandri, SDB was born on December 8, 1947 in Arborea (Oristano, Italy), in the Diocese of Oristano. In 1958, at the age of 11, he entered the Salesian Seminary in Arborea. On August 15, 1962, he began his year of novitiate in Lanuvio (Rome). He made perpetual vows on August 13, 1969. From 1966-1969 he studied at the Salesian University, earning a Licentiate in Philosophy. He has served as a missionary in Guatemala since 1970. He received his priestly ordination on August 10, 1974 in Arborea. He has since ministered as follows: 1975-1978: Scholastics councilor at the Salesian Philosophical Institute in Guatemala; 1978-1984: first Vicar for one year and later Director of the Don Bosco Youth Center in Managua (Nicaragua); 1985-1989: Director, Parish of “Divina Providencia,” Guatemala; 1990: Pastor of the same parish; 1991-1994: Licentiate studies in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Bible Institute in Rome; 1994-1996: Don Bosco Shrine Parish, Guatemala; 1996-1998: Director of the Salesian Theological Institute, Guatemala; 1999-2003: Don Bosco Shrine, Guatemala; since 2004: Scholastics Director of the Theologate in Guatemala and professor of Sacred Scripture.
The Apostolic Vicariate of El Peten was erected in 1984. It covers an area of nearly 36,000 km sq. and has 701,000 inhabitants, 522,000 of whom are Catholics, with 15 parishes, 20 priests (9 diocesan, 5 fidei donum, and 15 religious), 3 religious brothers, 5 seminarians, and 46 religious sisters. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 12/2/2009)