Archdiocese of Santiago de Guatemala

Gonzalo de Villa y Vásquez, S.J., was born on April 28, 1954, in Madrid, Spain. In 1974, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in the Dominican Republic. He studied philosophy in Mexico at the *Instituto Libre de Filosofía* and obtained a civil degree (licentiate) in Humanities. He specialized in philosophy at the Autonomous University of Nicaragua. He studied theology at the *Instituto de Teología para Religiosos* in Caracas, Venezuela. In Canada, he earned a master's degree in Social and Political Thought from York University in Toronto and, subsequently, a diploma in Latin American Studies. He was ordained a priest in Panama on August 13, 1983. He professed perpetual vows in the Society of Jesus on February 6, 1993. As a priest, he has held the following positions: professor of philosophy at the UCA (Central American University) in Managua, Nicaragua, and professor of religion at the *Colegio San Ignacio* in Caracas, Venezuela. In Guatemala, he served as: professor of philosophy and political science at Rafael Landívar University; professor of philosophy at the National Major Seminary of Guatemala; vice-dean and dean of the Faculty of Political Science at Rafael Landívar University; Provincial Superior Delegate of the Society of Jesus for Central America; parish priest of "San Antonio"; Superior of several Jesuit religious houses in Guatemala; and rector of Rafael Landívar University. On July 9, 2004, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Rotaria and Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Guatemala, receiving episcopal ordination on September 25 of that year. On July 28, 2007, he was transferred to the Diocese of Sololá-Chimaltenango. From October 2, 2010, to July 14, 2011, he served as Apostolic Administrator of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Los Altos Quetzaltenango-Totonicapán. In 2017, he was elected president of the Episcopal Conference for a three-year term, and in 2020, he was reconfirmed as president of the Episcopal Conference for another three years.