Apostolic Administrator of Tijuana
Mario Nicolás Villanueva Arellano was born on January 19, 1971, in Pénjamo, in the Diocese of Irapuato. After studying accounting and gaining work experience in the field, he was ordained a priest on July 12, 2003, for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tijuana. He has held the following positions: parochial vicar, bursar of the diocesan seminary, chaplain of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and spiritual director at the seminary. He currently serves as Episcopal Vicar for the Clergy and as a member of the Diocesan Council for Economic Affairs.