Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Miguel Ángel Martínez Méndez, of the clergy of San Francisco de Asís de Jutiapa, until now parish priest of the Cathedral of San Cristóbal in Jutiapa, as vicar apostolic of Izabal, Guatemala.
The Reverend Miguel Ángel Martínez Méndez was born on 5 May 1959 in Yupiltepeque, Jutiapa. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology in the La Asunción National Major Seminary in Guatemala.
He was ordained a priest on 18 January 1986 for the diocese of Jalapa. In 2016, after the creation of the diocese of San Francisco de Asís in Jutiapa, with territory taken from the diocese of Jalapa, he was incardinated in the new diocese.
Following ordination, he first held the offices of parish priest of San Raymundo de Peñafort in San Carlos Alzatate (1985-1992), San José, and El Adelanto in Jalapa (1992-1995). He then studied for a licentiate in canon law at the Pontifical University of Salamanca in Spain (1995-1997). He went on to serve as parish priest of Nuestra Señora de la Expectación in La Montaña (1998-2003), Nuestra Señora de Concepción in Monjas (2004-2009) and Santa Catarina, Virgen y Mártir in Quesada, in Jalapa, vicar general of the diocese of Jalapa (2010-2015); parish priest of Santa Cruz in Jutiapa (2016-2021); and, since 2022, parish priest of the Cathedral of San Cristóbal in Jutiapa. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 23/12/2022)
