He made his novitiate in El Desierto and there he made his profession on December 30, 1863. In the convent of Suba, he took his solemn vows on January 28, 1967, and received his presbyteral ordination on December 8, 1971. He studied humanities at the University of Antioquia, Medellin, La Linda and El Desierto de La Candelaria.
He made his studies in Philosophy in Suba and his theology at the Pontificial Xavierian University in Bogotá, with a Licentiate degree. He finished his Doctorate in theology of Religious Life in Madrid, Spain. He also specialized in Biblical theology at the Escuela Bíblica de Madrid, and later pursued tropical medicine still in Madrid.
He is a correspondent – member of the Academia Colombiana de Historia Eclesiástica since November 14, 1993. He wrote: “The problem of God in the present world,” and “The biblico- theological concept of light-darkness in Saint John. He also collaborated in the formation document, Studium Sapientiae and he is the author of various articles on formation.
The Diocese of Cartago has an area of 4,000 km2.Assignments
After his priestly ordination, he was sent to the seminary of La Linda, Manizales. In 1974, he was transferred to Spain to study, and upon his return in 1976, he was named prior and master of novices in La Linda. Later, he was made general councilor in Rome (1980), provincial secretary (1982), prior and professor in La Linda, Manizales. He was elected prior provincial and took hold of the office from 1989 to 1993.
In 1994, he was named superior of the missions and parish priest, in Yopal, Casanare. Then, he was assigned to La Linda, Manizales as prior of the community. In the year 2001, he was named prior of the community of Manizales and parish priest of Sacred Heart Parish. He was prior of Seminario Mayor Filosofado San Agustín of La Linda when His Holiness Benedict XVI named him Auxiliary Bishop of Cali on November 13, 2006. He was ordained bishop on January 27, 2007.
The New Diocese
The Diocese of Cartago has an area of 4,000 km2. It has a population of 481,000, and 471,000 of which are Catholics. In this diocese, there are 88 diocesan priests and 197 religious priests.