Born 28, 8, 1931 in Artajona, Navarra, Spain. Bishop Prelate of Bocas del Toro, Panamá
Ordained on the 27th of May, 1972.
Apartado Postal 18
Bocas del Toro, Panamá
Tel. (507) 757 92 58
Fax (507) 757 93 79

FORMATION

The future bishop was born in Artajona, Navarra, Spain on the 28th of August, 1931. He was baptized in the Parish of St. Peter of the same village on the 29th of August, 1931.

He entered the Order of Augustinian Recollects on the 26th of September, 1947 and made profession of vows on the 27th of September, 1952.

He made his primary studies in the local school and in the minor seminary of the community in Artieda, Navarra. He completed his philosophical and theological studies in the major seminary of Sos del Rey Católico located in the province of Zaragoza in Spain. He also attended the Pontifical University of Comillas, Santander, Spain, where he obtained the licentiate in theology in 1955.

ASSIGNMENTS

He was sent to Panamá in September of 1958 and was assigned to the Colegio of San Agustín where he served until 1970 when he was named Prelate of Bocas del Toro. He had previously served as vice rector of the Colegio and vicar provincial for the Province of Our Lady of Consolation in Central America and Panamá.

He was assigned as Prelate of Bocas del Toro in 1970 and was ordained bishop of the same on May 27th of 1972. Since then, he has lived and labored in the Prelature of Bocas del Toro where he resides in the city, Bocas del Toro.

In the Episcopal Conference of Panamá, he is president of the Department of Missions which includes the sections, SEPAFRO (Section of Afroamerican Pastoral directed by Mons. Uriah Ashley) and SEPAI (Section of indigenous pastoral directed by Bishop Ganuza). He is also a member of CONAM (National Coordination of Mission Support, directed by Mons. Oscar Mario Brown.

He collaborates with the periodical, Panorama Católico, in the section La Voz del Pastor where he regularly writes about themes connected with the Prelature of Bocas del Toro. An article on the ethnic tribe, NO KRIBO, of the area of Ngobe Buglé, appeared on September 3, 2000.

DIÓCESIS

The Holy See created the Prelature of Bocas del Toro in October of 1962 and it was officially erected in February of 1964 with the naming of Martín Legarra, O.A.R. as first bishop. The Vincentian Fathers left the mission and the Augustinian Recollects began their ministry.

Bishop Legarra created the parish of Kankintú in order to better serve the ngobe Indians and, in 1969, he was transferred to the Diocese of Santiago. In March of 1970, José Agustín Ganuza Garcias, O.A.R., was designated successor and, in May of 1972, he was ordained bishop. From that point on, the Recollects have continued the work of the Vincentian missionary, Father Vik, and of Bishop Legarra.

The Prelature of Bocas del Toro consists of two areas quite distinct the one from the other. There is the province, also named Bocas del Toro, which has an extension of 4601 square kilometers and a population of 88, 983 inhabitants. The other area, which is that of the Ngobe and Buglé peoples, known as the sector of No Kribo, has an extension of 4.113 square kilometers and a population of 34.574.