Bishop of Valparaíso
Msgr. Jorge Vega was born in Santiago on June 12, 1957. In 1977, he entered the novitiate of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). In 1978, he began his philosophy studies at the Major Seminary of Santiago and pursued his theology studies at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina in Buenos Aires. On March 1, 1983, he made his solemn vows in Rafael Calzada, Argentina. On December 22, 1984, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Juan Francisco Fresno Larraín, Archbishop of Santiago. On April 28, 1985, he was sent as a missionary to Angola, where he served for 13 years in parish ministries and as the rector of a diocesan seminary. In 1999, he returned to Chile to take charge of the SVD missions secretariat in the country. In the year 2000, he was also appointed Coordinator of Missionary Animation for the SVD Pan-American Zone. In 2003, he was named National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and was confirmed in that role in 2008. He has served as director of the magazine *Chile Misionero*. On February 19, 2010, the Holy Father Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop-Prelate of Illapel, succeeding Msgr. Rafael de la Barra, SVD. He was consecrated bishop on April 17, 2010, in the Cathedral of Santiago by Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, Archbishop of Santiago. The co-consecrating bishops were Msgr. Rafael de la Barra and Msgr. Carlos Pellegrin, Bishop of Chillán. He took possession of the Prelature of Illapel on April 30, 2010, on the 50th anniversary of that ecclesiastical jurisdiction. On June 8, 2021, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Valparaíso.