Bishop José Roberto Ospina Leongómez

Monsignor José Roberto Ospina Leongómez was born on March 20, 1947, in the municipality of San Miguel de Sema, in the Department of Boyacá and the Diocese of Chiquinquirá. He completed his primary education at the Colegio del Niño Jesús in Bogotá and his secondary education at the Instituto Tihamer Toth, graduating in 1964. He went on to the Pontifical Xavierian University (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), where he obtained a Licentiate degree in Philosophy (1965–1967). There, he also completed his first year of Theology (1969) and finished the institutional theology cycle at the San José Major Seminary in Bogotá (1970–1972). He pursued advanced studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, earning a Licentiate in Biblical Sciences (1977–1980). He was ordained a priest on November 29, 1972, and incardinated into the Archdiocese of Bogotá as a member of the Institute of the Adolescent Jesus (Instituto de Jesús Adolescente). His assignments included: Parochial Vicar of Fómeque, Cundinamarca (1973); Parochial Vicar of San Roberto Belarmino (Ciudad Kennedy) (1973); Parochial Vicar of Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (Chapinero) (1974–1975); Formator at the Bogotá Minor Seminary (1976–1977); Formator at the Bogotá Major Seminary (1981–1986); Director of the Institute of the Adolescent Jesus (1997–2001); Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Bogotá Major Seminary (1981–1986); Delegate for Educational Pastoral Care in schools in northern Bogotá (1987–1998); Episcopal Vicar for the Holy Spirit Pastoral Zone (1999–2000); Episcopal Vicar for Priestly Formation (2001); and Rector of the San José Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Bogotá (2001–2004). On April 19, 2004, His Holiness John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bogotá, and his episcopal ordination took place on May 29 of that same year. On May 10, 2012, His Holiness Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Buga, and he canonically took possession of the Diocese on June 30, 2012. From October 31, 2020, to December 9, 2021, he served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cartago. In 2022, upon turning 75—as stipulated by the Code of Canon Law—Monsignor José Roberto submitted his resignation to the Supreme Pontiff; this was accepted on Saturday, December 7, 2024, when Pope Francis appointed Fr. Alexander Matiz Atencio as Bishop of Buga. Monsignor Alexander Matiz took possession of the assigned episcopal see on February 22, 2025, at the Basilica of the Lord of Miracles in Buga, and Monsignor Ospina became Bishop Emeritus of Buga. On May 30, 2025, due to the delicate health of Msgr. Víctor Manuel Ochoa Cadavid, Pope Leo XIV appointed him Apostolic Administrator *sede plena* of the Military Ordinariate. Days later, following the death of Msgr. Ochoa on June 2 of that same year, he was designated Apostolic Administrator *sede vacante*.