General Councilors elected

ROME – The last session of the 55^th General Chapter on October 26, 2016 moved forward with the election of the General Councilors in accordance with the OAR Constitutions 345: “…the members of the general council are to be elected by absolute majority of votes.”

The provision continues: “Six councilors are to be elected, the first of these being the Vicar General. For the elections of each of them, having listened to the priors provincial, the Prior General may put forward three names, respecting always the freedom of the members of the chapter to elect the particular religious of the Order whom they believe most suitable.”

Here are the elected religious who comprise the new members of the General Council:

Fr. José Ramón Pérez Sáenz, OAR

First General Councilor and Vicar General

Birthday/year: 1960

Birthplace: Manjarrés (La Rioja, España)

Solemn Profession: 1979

Presbyteral Ordination: 1983

Assignments: Venezuela (16 years); Monasterio de San Millán de la Cogolla; Prior Provincial of the Province of San José (for 2 triennia); Vicar General of the Order (2010-2016)

Studies: Licentiate in Theology (University of Salamanca, Spain); Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Sciences (Instituto Patrístico Augustinianum, Rome)

Fr. Raúl Buhay Murillo, OAR

Second General Councilor

Birthday/year: June 1, 1962

Birthplace: San Miguel (Surigao del Sur, Philippines)

Solemn Profession: 1987

Presbyteral Ordination: 1988

Assignments: Master of the Professed at Recoletos Formation Center in Quezon City; Councilor of then Vicariate of the Philippines and China; a missionary to Sierra Leone (3 years); VP for Administration at USJ-R, Cebu; VP for Academics at UNO-R Bacolod; Third Provincial Councilor of the Province of St. Ezekiel (2009-2012); Prior of the community of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Inagawan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (2012-15); Parish Priest of OLMC Parish, Inagawan (since 2012 to date).

Studies: Licentiate in Biblical Theology (Gregorian Pontifical University, Rome); MA in Educational Management and PhD in Educational Management (USJ-R, Cebu)

Fr. Juan Pablo Martínez Peláez, OAR

Third General Councilor

Birthday/year: 1983

Birthplace: Medellín (Antioquia, Colombia)

Solemn Profession: 2004

Presbyteral Ordination: 2008

Assignments: Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Manare (Casanare) as Parochial vicar, then as Prior and Parish Priest until July 2013; Master of the Professed (Colombia)

Studies: Licentiate in Theology (Universidad San Buenaventura, Bogotá); Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy (St. Anselm Pontifical Institute, Rome)

Fr. Francisco Javier Monroy Rodríguez, OAR

Fourth General Councilor

Birthday/year: 1970

Birthplace: Valladolid (España)

Solemn Profession: 1994

Presbyteral Ordination: 1995

Assignments: Councilor of the Vicariate (2012-16); Parochial Vicar in Lodosa, Zaragoza and Madrid; Formator since 1998 in Zaragoza, Madrid, and from 2009 at the St. Augustine Postulancy.

Studies: Licentiate in Biblical Theology (Gregorian Pontifical University, Rome); Máster de acompañamiento espiritual y discernimiento vocacional. Máster Terapueta Councellor.

Fr. Gabriel Antonio Robles Alonso, OAR

Fifth General Councilor

Birthday/year: 1962

Birthplace: Panama

Solemn Profession: 1985

Presbyteral Ordination: 1989

Assignments: General Councilor (1992-2004); General Procurator before the Holy See (1998-2004): Vicar of Panama of the Consolation Province (2010-2013); Vicar of the Province (since 2013)

Studies: Licentiate in Theology (Gregorian Pontifical University, Rome)

Fr. Antonio Carrón de la Torre, OAR

Sixth General Councilor

Birthday/year: 1980

Birthplace: Madrid (España)

Solemn Profession: 2004

Presbyteral Ordination: 2005

Assignments: Professor, Tutor and Coordinator of Pastoral Ministry at Colegio Santo Tomás de Villanueva in Granada, Spain; Director of the Colegio Santo Tomás de Villanueva (Granada, since 2010 to date); Provincial Councilor of the Province of Sto. Tomas and in-charge of the Secretariat of Educational Apostolate; Haren Alde Delegate in Andalucia

Studies: Licentiate in Pastoral Theology (Universidad de Granada); MA in Contemporary Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy (Universidad de Granada)

At the very first meeting of the newly-constituted General Council, the election of the office of the General Secretary was made. It resulted to the re-election of Fray Tello.

Fr. Francisco Javier Tello Vegas, OAR

General Secretary

Birthday/year: 1972

Birthplace: Cáceres (España)

Solemn Profession: 1996

Presbyteral Ordination: 1999

Assignments: Formator at Seminario Menor de Santo Tomás de Villanueva; School administrator in Cristo Rey (Caracas, Venezuela); Councilor of the Vicariate of Venezuela (2003-2006); Formator of Postulants (Seminario Nuestra Señora del Buen Consejo in Palmira, Táchira); Vicar Provincial (from 2011-1013); General Secretary of the Order (2013-2016)

Studies: Catechetics (Instituto San Pío X of the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, Madrid)