Pope Francis names new Augustinian Recollect bishop

This article was translated from the original Spanish text posted in the official website of the Order (www.agustinosrecoletos.com)

ARGENTINA–An Argentine Augustinian Recollect, Fray Darío Rubén Quintana, OAR, is appointed by Pope Francis as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Mar del Plata (Argentina). From 2012 to 2018 he was Vicar Provincial in Argentina.

He has also been assigned the head office of Bavagaliana. The Holy See has made the appointment public on Tuesday, November 5, in its daily press release.

Fray Darío Rubén Quintana becomes the twentieth Augustinian Recollect Bishop in the world. The religious, of Argentine origin, was a provincial Vicar in Argentina and at the moment he was doing his pastoral work in the parish of Our Lady of Luján, in San Martín (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Darío Rubén Quintana was born in Buenos Aires in February 1971. He studied at the Colegio Monseñor Sabelli. In 1978 his family moved to the city of Mar del Plata, where he completed his primary and secondary studies at the Colegio de la Obra Don Orione.

At age 18 he entered the San Ezequiel Moreno Postulancy of the Order of Augustinian Recollecrs, and studied philosophical and theological studies at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, Santa María de los Buenos Aires.

After completing his novitiate formation in Burgos (Spain), he professed his the vows in Buenos Aires on August 28, 1993, Solemnity of St. Augustine. He was ordained a deacon in Buenos Aires on October 31, 1996 by Most Rev. Héctor Aguer,DD, and ordained a priest on May 17, 1997 in the parish of Our Lady of Consolation, by the Augustinian Recollect Bishop of Marajó (Brazil), Most Rev. José Luis Azcona, DD.

From 1996 to 2003 he was legal representative and director of Colegio San José in the town of San Martín (Buenos Aires). From 2003 to 2009 he served as prior and pastor of Our Lady of Consolation in Buenos Aires; From 2009 to 2012 he was prior and pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Mar del Plata.

Between 2012 and 2018, Darío Rubén Quintana was Vicar Provincial of the Order of Augustinian Recollects in Argentina, performing the service as Major Superior in the country. From October 2018 until now, the new bishop-elect is pastor of Ntra. Sra. De Luján, Villa Maipú, in San Martín and prior of the community of the San Ezequiel Moreno Seminary in San Andrés Gulf.

The Prior General of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Fray Miguel Miró, OAR, has expressed his joy at the appointment of Fray Darío Rubén Quintana, from whom he hopes that “he can contribute his knowledge and experience of fraternal life to the Diocese of Mar del Plata”. Fray Miró wishes the new bishop-elect to look at St. Augustine and St. Thomas of Villanova, two models of shepherds, “who journey with the people.”