AMERICA/ECUADOR - Apostolic Vicar of Zamora appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on March 25, 2009, appointed Father Walter Jehowá Heras Segarra, O.F.M., Provincial Minister and Vice-President of the Ecuadorian Conference of Religious, Apostolic Vicar of Zamora, assigning him the titular see of Vazari.
Father Walter Jehowá Heras Segarra, O.F.M., was born April 4, 1964 in Bulan (Province of Azuay, Archdiocese of Cuenca). After attending the local primary school, he entered the Minor Seminary of the Franciscan Fathers. He studied Philosophy and Educational Psychology at the Salesian Salesian Polytechnic University, where he earned a Teaching Degree in Secondary School Education and a degree in Theology from the Pontifical Catholic University in Quito. On September 22, 1990, he made his solemn vows as a Franciscan and on August 15, 1992, he was ordained a priest. He has since ministered as follows: 1992-1994: Vice-Master of Brothers with Temporal Vows, Vice-Rector and Religion Professor at “Colegio San Andrés” (Quito) and Provincial Secretary; 1994-1997: Studies in Rome for a Licentiate in Franciscan Spirituality at the Pontifical University "Antonianum"; 1997-2000: Master of Brothers with Temporal Vows and Vocations Director; 1997-2003: Provincial “Definitore”; Provincial Secretary for Formation and Studies, Bursar, and Secretary of the Philosophical and Theological Departments at the Franciscan institution "Cardenal Bernardino Echeverría" (Quito); 1998: Professor of Franciscan Spirituality and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology at "Cardenal Bernardino Echeverría" (Quito); 2000-2003: Provincial Vicar; 2003-2006: President of the "Conferencia Bolivariana Franciscana"; since 2003: Provincial Minister; since 2005: Vice-President of the Ecuadorian Conference of Religious.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Zamora was erected in 1893. It has an area of 10,572,052 kmq and has 122,000 inhabitants, 110,000 of which are Catholics, with 21 parishes, 20 priests (14 diocesan and 6 religious), 2 brothers, 3 seminarians, and an Apostolic Vicar emeritus. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 25/3/2009)