Bishop of Loja
Walter Jehová Heras Segarra OFM (Bulán, April 4, 1964) is an Ecuadorian priest, teacher, philosopher, theologian, and bishop who currently serves as the 12th Bishop of Loja. Walter Jehová was born on April 4, 1964, in Bulán, Azuay Province, Ecuador (Archdiocese of Cuenca). He completed his primary education in Azogues and his secondary education at the Franciscan Minor Seminary. He pursued higher education in Philosophy and Psychopedagogy at UPS and in Theology at PUCE. He obtained a Licentiate degree in Franciscan Spirituality from the Pontifical University Antonianum (1994–1997). On September 4, 1983, he was admitted to the Novitiate of the Friars Minor, thereby donning the Franciscan habit. He made his temporary religious profession on August 25, 1984, and his solemn profession on September 22, 1990. On August 15, 1992, he was ordained a priest for the Friars Minor. Throughout his ministry, he has held the following pastoral positions: Vice-Master of temporary professed friars (1991–1994); Vice-Rector, religion teacher, and provincial secretary at the Colegio San Andrés in Quito (1991–1994); Master of Temporary Professed Friars and Vocation Promoter (1997–2000); Provincial Definitor, provincial secretary for formation and studies, bursar, and secretary of the "Cardinal Bernardino Echeverría" Franciscan Faculty of Philosophy and Theology in Quito (1997–2003); Professor of Franciscan Spirituality and Vice-Dean of the "Cardinal Bernardino Echeverría" Faculty of Philosophy and Theology in Quito (1998); Provincial Vicar (2000–2003); President of the "Bolivarian Franciscan Conference" (2003–2006); and Provincial Minister (2003–2009). Director of the Center for Franciscan Studies of Ecuador. President of the Ecuadorian Franciscan Family. Vice President of the Ecuadorian Conference of Religious since 2005. On March 25, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him the 5th Titular Bishop of Vazari and the 4th Bishop and Apostolic Vicar of Zamora. He was consecrated on May 21 of that same year by the then Apostolic Nuncio to Ecuador, Giacomo Ottonello. His co-consecrators were the then Archbishop of Guayaquil, Antonio Arregui Yarza, and the then Bishop of Babahoyo, Fausto Trávez, OFM. He took canonical possession on the same day as his ordination. On May 2, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of Loja. On October 31, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him the 12th Bishop of Loja. He took canonical possession on December 14 of that same year during a ceremony at the Cathedral of Loja. Head of the Communications Department of the CEE. Apostolic Administrator of Zamora (2019–2021). President of the CEE Commission for Education and Culture since 2020.