A pastor in the style of Francis
Santiago Sanchez has always expressed his desire to be a missionary and he was showing this when he was a formator and novice master, what he did not expect was to go to the mission as bishop. The slogan he has chosen for his coat of arms is “Let it be done to me, for I will not refuse your will”
As he was asked what he felt of this nomination he said:” the first thing I felt was apprehension and hope. Appprehension because I don’t feel prepared, because I never been to the mission, because of the great challenge, in not knowing how to carry out the work I have done for now .. And hope because when this pastoral service that is entrusted to me I can see that the Lord trusts in me and is asking me to give something, that something I can do”.
‘At this time I ask the people of Labrea to be patient with me, that we walk together the bishop, the clergy and the people, I ask that we will all be open to the will of God and together learn as well, that we will have the Gospel as foundation, goal and end”.
“I ask the augustian recollects that we continue to be brothers, I don’t want to be distant nor superior; to be an augustinian recollect was my option and I feel in community with the augustinian recollects, as I always have lived it”. “I wish that the prelature will continue as such and we evangelize it together: For you as Bishop, with you as augustinian recollect”.
Educational formation
Santiago Sanchez Sebastian was born in Cortes, Navarra, Spain, on July 25 1957, he entered in the minor seminary of Colegio San Jose of Lodosa where he studied high school, he studied philosophy in Fuenterrrabia, Guipuzcoa, and made the novitiate in Monteagudo, Navarra and admitted as member to the Order of Augustinian Recollects in making the solemn profession in Monteagudo on August 22, 1976. He studied theology in the convent of Marcilla, Navarra and was ordained priest of the said place by Monsignor Jose Maria Cirarda, archbishop of Pamplona on July 26, 1980.
Formator and pastor in Spain and Brazil
Assigned in Colegio San Agustin of Valladolid he worked as formator and vocation promoter. He was later on a professor of religion in the Public Institute of Lodosa. From 1997 to 2006 he was a novice master in Monteagudo. In 2006 he was transferred to Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil, to be the prior of the Seminario Santo Agostinho and help in the pastoral activity of the river mouth of Ceara. In 2012 he was appointed parish priest of St. Rita Parish of Manaus, Amazons, Brazil.
Prelature of Labrea
The Prelature of Labrea has an extension of 230, 636 km2 and a population of around 90, 000 inhabitants, 70,200 of which are catholics. Aside from the city of Labrea they have special significance the towns of Tapaua, Canutama, and Pauini. At present there are 10 augustinian recollect, 3 diocesan priests and 11 female religious who reside in the Prelature.