Pope Leo XIV on Thursday appointed Bishop Eusebio Ramos Morales as the new Archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Juan, after accepting the resignation of Archbishop Roberto González Nieves from the position.

The Vatican officially announced the appointment at 6:00 a.m. (12:00 p.m. Rome time), following the public announcement on October 9 of González Nieves’ resignation after 26 years as Metropolitan Archbishop.

Ramos Morales has served as Bishop of the Diocese of Caguas since 2017. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 3, 1983.

“Bishop Eusebio was born on December 15, 1952, in the town of Maunabo. After working as a science teacher, he entered the Diocesan Seminary of Caguas, where he began his priestly formation. He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1983, for the Diocese of Caguas. He exercised his priestly ministry in Yabucoa, Aibonito, Caguas, Humacao, Maunabo, and Fajardo,” the Archdiocese of San Juan said in a press release.

According to the Holy See’s website, Ramos Morales earned a bachelor’s degree in Science and Biology from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). He later studied Philosophy and Theology at the Central University of Bayamón.

He also pursued theological studies with the Jesuits in Mexico and at the Boynton Beach Seminary. He later earned a Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

“On March 11, 2008, with the creation of the Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him the first bishop of what is also known as the Diocese of El Yunque. He was ordained a bishop on May 31, 2008, through the laying on of hands by Archbishop Roberto González,” the statement added.

Later, on February 2, 2017, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of the Diocese of Caguas and Apostolic Administrator of Fajardo-Humacao.

Since December 4, 2024, Ramos Morales has also served as president of the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference.

For his part, González Nieves turned 75 on June 2, the mandatory retirement age for bishops in the Catholic Church.

“A diocesan bishop who has completed his seventy-fifth year of age is requested to submit his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after considering all the circumstances,” reads Article 401 §1, Chapter II on Bishops, Book II of the Code of Canon Law.

In May of last year, González Nieves marked 26 years as head of the Archdiocese of San Juan. He was ordained a priest 48 years ago.

Notably, this is the second episcopal appointment Pope Leo XIV has made for Puerto Rico since the beginning of his pontificate.

On June 24, the head of the Catholic Church announced the appointment of Bishop Geraldo Ramírez Torres as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Ponce after accepting the resignation of Rubén Antonio González Medina.

González Medina, 77, submitted his resignation upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, as required by canon law, and remained in office until the pope formally accepted his retirement.

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This content was translated from Spanish to English using artificial intelligence and was reviewed by an editor before being published.