Bishop Gerardo Villalonga Hellín

Gerardo Villalonga Hellín was born on April 29, 1958, in Mahón (Menorca). He was ordained a priest on June 20, 1987, for the Diocese of Menorca. He obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has held the following positions: Parochial Vicar of San Francisco in Ciutadella de Menorca and Delegate for Education (1987–1990); Parish Priest of Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Es Castell (1993–2005); Judicial Vicar (1993–2013); Parish Priest of the Cathedral (Nuestra Señora del Rosario) and of San Francisco (2005–2016); Vicar General (2011–2015); Diocesan Administrator (2015–2017); Parish Priest of San Martín in Es Mercadal (2016–2018); Canon and Dean of the Cathedral Chapter (since 2005) and Vicar General (2017–2021). He has served as Judicial Vicar since 2017 and as Parish Priest of San Francisco de Asís in Ciutadella de Menorca since 2018. Since 2022, he has once again served as Diocesan Administrator. He was born in Mahón (Menorca) on April 29, 1958. He studied Education in Palma de Mallorca (qualifying as a primary school teacher in 1978) and worked at the Corazón de María and Antoni Juan schools in Mahón. He moved to Astorga to complete his military service; there, at the age of 24, he entered the diocesan seminary, which was affiliated with the Faculty of Theology of Northern Spain (Burgos campus). Upon completing his seminary studies, he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Theology and a Licentiate in Ecclesiastical Studies (1986). He was ordained a priest in Menorca on June 20, 1987. Subsequently, he pursued studies at the Gregorian University in Rome (1990–1993), where he earned a Licentiate in Canon Law and completed a postgraduate specialization in Jurisprudence. He has carried out his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Menorca, where he has held various pastoral roles. He served as vicar of the San Francisco parish in Ciutadella and as Delegate for Education (1987–1990), while simultaneously working as a primary and middle school teacher at the Pere Casasnovas public school in Ciutadella. He was parish priest of Ntra. Sra. del Rosario in Es Castell (1993–2005) and the diocese's judicial vicar (1993–2013). In 2005, he was assigned to Ciutadella as parish priest of Ntra. Sra. del Rosario (the Cathedral) and San Francesc (2005–2016). He also served as parish priest of San Martín in Es Mercadal (2016–2018). From 2011 until his appointment as bishop, he served as vicar general and judicial vicar—roles to which he was reappointed in 2015. From 2016, he was the rector of the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Monte Toro, and from 2018, parish priest of San Francisco de Asís in Ciutadella. Since 2005, he had also served as a canon and dean of the Cathedral Basilica of Menorca. Furthermore, since 1993, he has been a member of various diocesan consultative bodies: the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, and the Pastoral Council. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Editorial Menorca—the company that publishes the *Diario Menorca* newspaper—since 2001. On February 14, he was appointed Bishop of Menorca by Pope Francis. He took possession of the diocese on April 22, 2023. Within the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), he is a member of the Episcopal Council for Legal Affairs.