Bishop of Almería
Antonio Gómez Cantero was born in Quijas (Cantabria) on May 31, 1956. He completed his secondary education at the minor seminary in Carrión de los Condes and his ecclesiastical studies at the major seminary of San José in Palencia. He was ordained a priest on May 17, 1981. He obtained a licentiate degree in Systematic-Biblical Theology from the Catholic Institute of Paris in 1995. He has carried out his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Palencia, holding various pastoral roles: in 1982, he was appointed parochial vicar of San Lázaro and a member of the Presbyteral Council representing the chaplains (*consiliarios*), as well as diocesan chaplain for the Junior Catholic Action movement and coordinator of chaplains for the region of Castile and León. Gómez Cantero was appointed diocesan delegate for Youth and Vocation Ministry in 1983; *in solidum* parish priest of San Lázaro in 1984; formator at the major seminary of Palencia in 1985; delegate for vocational accompaniment for the priesthood in 1986; and delegate for Youth and Vocation Ministry and a member of the Council of Consultors in 1990. In 1992, he became the international chaplain for MIDADEN (Children's Catholic Action) in Paris, a position he held until 1995; in 1995, he served as vice-rector and teacher at the minor seminary. In 1996, he was appointed rector of the minor seminary and diocesan delegate for Vocation Ministry. In 1998, Gómez Cantero was appointed rector of the major seminary, a role he held until 2004; in 2000, he became an extraordinary professor at the Theological Institute of the major seminary of Palencia and a member of the Council of Consultors; in 2001, administrator of the major seminary and the priests' residence; and from 2008, a member of the College of Consultors. At the time of his episcopal appointment, he held the positions of parish priest of San Lázaro in Palencia (since 2004) and vicar general and moderator of the curia (since 2008). From May 8, 2015, to June 18, 2016, he served as the diocesan administrator of Palencia. On November 17, 2016, Pope Francis announced his appointment as Bishop of Teruel and Albarracín. He received episcopal ordination on January 21, 2017. On January 8, 2021, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Almería. Following the acceptance of the resignation of the Bishop of Almería, Adolfo González Montes, on grounds of age, Antonio Gómez Cantero became the diocesan Bishop of Almería on November 30, 2021.