Bishop of Espinal
Monsignor Miguel Fernando González Mariño was born in Tunja (Boyacá) on January 25, 1966, and was ordained a priest on August 1, 1998, incardinated into the Diocese of Santa Marta. He completed his schooling in Tunja, attending primary school at the Colegio de la Presentación and secondary school at the Colegio Salesiano. He holds the following academic degrees: Architecture from the Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, 1988), Ecclesiastical Philosophy from the University of Navarra (Spain, 1995), Theology from the University of Navarra (Spain, 1998), and Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome, 2000). He engaged in parish work at Santa Maria, Regina della Pace in Florence, Italy (1998–2000) and served as a confessor at the Great Jubilee Penitential Chapel in Vatican City (February–June 2000). In the Diocese of Santa Marta, he served as parish administrator at San José in Pueblo Viejo (Magdalena) and chaplain at the San Cristóbal Regional Hospital in Ciénaga. He was the parish priest of San Juan Bautista in El Retén (Magdalena) and chaplain at the Colegio La Sagrada Familia (Capuchin Sisters) in Fundación (Magdalena). From August 2000: Professor of Theology at the San José Major Seminary in Santa Marta. 2004–2008: Spiritual Director of the San José Major Seminary, Santa Marta. Since 2004: Diocesan Delegate for Liturgy. 2005–2009: Member of the Diocesan Pastoral Animation Committee for the design of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan. 2009–2016: Rector of the San José Major Seminary (Santa Marta). 2011: Member of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Santa Marta. On February 11, 2016, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Boseta and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Ibagué by His Holiness Pope Francis. On March 12, 2016, he received episcopal ordination at the Cathedral of Santa Marta. On March 21, 2019, he was elected Diocesan Administrator of the Archdiocese of Ibagué, and subsequently, the Holy See appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the same archdiocese, a role he held until July 19, 2020. On December 19, 2020, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of El Espinal. He took office on February 6, 2021. On February 21, 2022, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Garzón, serving until March 26, 2025.