Bishop of Mbaïki
Fr. Jesús Ruiz Molina, M.C.C.I., was born on 23 January 1959 in La Cueva de Roa, in the diocese of Burgos, Spain. He studied in the minor seminary and then the major seminary in the diocese of Burgos. He studied philosophy and theology in the major seminary of Moncada. He continued his theological studies in Paris, attending courses in religious sciences. He gave his first vows on 25 May 1985 and his solemn vows on 24 April 1988. He was ordained a priest on 11 July 1987. He subsequently held the following offices: missionary animator in Spain (1987-1989); vicar and then parish priest of Immaculée Conception in Bédjondo in the diocese of Sarh, Chad (1990-1995); formator of the Comboni postulate and head of Comboni lay missionaries in Spain (1996-2001); and provincial of the new Province in Chad (2002-2008). He carried out his studies in the University of Salamanca, Spain in 2008, and a linguistic apprenticeship in the St. Ann parish of Dekoa, in the diocese of Kaga-Bandoro, Central Africa (2009). Since 2008 he has served as parish priest in Moungoumba, in the diocese of M’Baïki, Central Africa, and vicar forane and diocesan coordinator of the Commission for Catechesis. From 2013 to 2015 he was also Counsellor to the Comboni Delegation in Central Africa.