Resignation of archbishop of Quito, Ecuador, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Quito, Ecuador, presented by H.E. Msgr. Fausto Gabriel Trávez O.F.M.

The Pope has appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Quito, Ecuador, H.E. Msgr. Alfredo José Espinoza Mateus, S.D.B., currently bishop of Loja.

The archbishop-elect was born in 1958 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and was ordained a priest in 1988. He holds a licentiate in education sciences from the Pontifical University of Ecuador.

Since ordination he has served in a number of roles including administrator and director of various Salesian colleges in Ecuador, provincial counsellor of the Salesian Society, member of the permanent Commission of the National Council of Salesian Education, delegate of the Superior Provincial Board of the Salesian Polytechnic University, and director of the province of Quito.

He was appointed as archbishop of Loja on 20 December 2013, and received episcopal ordination on 18 January 2014.