Bishop of Blois
Francis Victor Bestion is Bishop of Blois, France. Francis Bestion was born on 8 May 1957 in Fontans, in the Diocese of Mende. After secondary studies at Lycée St Joseph in Marvejols, he completed higher studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of Montpellier, where he graduated in philosophy. He first entered the Congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, in which he was a teacher and director of Lycée St Joseph in Marvejols. Wanting to become a priest, he completed theology studies at the seminary of Avignon. In 2007 he obtained a canonical licentiate in theology at the Institut catholique of Toulouse. He was ordained a priest on 27 May 1990 for the Diocese of Mende. After priestly ordination, he held the following ministerial assignments: vicar and then parish priest of Langogne (1990-2002); philosophy teacher and formator in the seminary of Avignon (1992-2003); teacher in the seminary of Toulouse (2003-2005); and director of the second cycle and teacher in the seminary of Toulouse (2005-2009). From September 2009 he was vicar general of Mende.