This Wednesday, Pope Francis appointed two new auxiliary bishops of Valencia, Fernando Enrique Ramón Casas, 58, and Arturo Javier García Pérez, 57. They will help Enrique Benavent in the task of promoting the initiatives of the Catholic Church in Valencia. This was announced this Wednesday by the Vatican Press Office.
Fernando Enrique Ramón Casas is from Valencia but before entering the seminary, he lived with his family in Xirivella, about ten kilometers from the capital, and one of the municipalities affected by DANA. He is an expert in Sacred Scripture, and teaches at the Faculty of Theology of Valencia and at the Academy of Biblical, Classical and Oriental Languages.
He was ordained a priest at the age of 28 and has been a parish priest in Benimarfull, Alquería de Aznar, Benillup and Almudaina. Since 2011 he has been rector of the major seminary “La Inmaculada” in Moncada and was recently appointed vicar of one of the areas into which the archdiocese is divided.
Arturo Javier García Pérez was born in Alicante, but his family comes from Jarafuel (Valencia). He was ordained a priest in 1995, at the age of 28. Their first destination was the parishes of Torrebaja and seven other towns. Then Villar del Arzobispo and then Turis, the town where it rained the most in the DANA of October 29, between 618 and 640 liters per square meter: in three hours the same amount was reached as in the previous 21 months.
From left to right the two new auxiliary bishops, Fernando Enrique Ramón Casas, Arturo Javier García Pérez and Enrique Benavent, archbishop of Valencia
He has taught Religion in an institute and in several primary schools. He is currently delegate of Missions in the archdiocese, from which he maintains vicariates in Peru, and rector of the residence hall-seminary of the Presentation, in Valencia. It is one of the oldest seminaries in the world. It was founded by the then archbishop of Valencia, Tomás de Villanueva, in 1550.
«Valencia today is under water»
It was not the only mention of Valencia this Wednesday in the Vatican. In the morning, the Pope requested that an image of the Virgin of the Forsaken, patron saint of Valencia, be placed next to him during the general audience. As soon as he arrived, after touring Saint Peter’s Square with the popemobile, Francis walked up to her and left a white rose at her feet.
“I wanted to greet the Virgin of the Helpless, the Virgin who protects the poor, the patron saint of Valencia, who is suffering so much,” he immediately explained. «Other parts of Spain are also suffering, but Valencia today is under water. I wanted you to put here this image that the Spanish gave me. Today we pray for Valencia and for the other parts of Spain that are suffering from water,” he added.
Also after the catechesis, before concluding the meeting, he asked the pilgrims to “not forget Valencia, in Spain.” “Let’s pray together a Hail Mary for Valencia,” he proposed. He then prayed this prayer along with around fifteen thousand people who attended.
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