QUITO, Ecuador, OCT. 21, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The Church in Ecuador, particularly its episcopal conference, received with great joy Benedict XVI’s announcement that he will create as cardinal Archbishop Raúl Vela Chiriboga.
This blessing comes at the conclusion of the pastoral work of Archbishop Chiriboga, who has served as archbishop of Quito since 2003 but retired last month. On Friday, Archbishop Fausto Trávez Trávez, the new archbishop of Quito, will be installed.
Raúl Eduardo Vela Chiriboga was born in Riobamba on January 1, 1934. After completing his studies in philosophy and theology at St. Joseph’s Major Seminary in Quito, he was ordained to the priesthood on July 28, 1957.
For a few years Father Chiriboga exercised his priestly ministry in the Riobamba diocese, until he was appointed undersecretary of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference in 1969.
In 1972, he was elected auxiliary bishop of Guayaquil, and received his episcopal consecration on May 21 of the same year. He served at the same time (1972-1975) as secretary general of the bishops’ conference.
In 1975 Bishop Chiriboga was appointed bishop of Azogues, an office he held until 1989, when he was named ordinary of the military. He was a member of the “National Defense Junta,” as a delegate of the archbishop of Quito.
In the bishops’ conference, since 1999, he presided over the liturgy commission.
On March 23, 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed the prelate as archbishop of Quito.
Archbishop Chiriboga is the fourth archbishop of Quito to be raised to the College of Cardinals. Those who preceded him are Cardinal Carlos María de la Torre, Cardinal Pablo Muñoz Vega and Cardinal Antonio González.
In the consistory, which will be held Nov. 20, another South American will also be created a cardinal: Archbishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, Brazil.
