Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Jesús Vidal Chamorro, currently auxiliary bishop of Madrid, as bishop of Segovia. The appointment will be made public at 12:00 noon today, Tuesday 3 December, and this has been communicated by the Apostolic Nunciature to the CEE. Since 2014, Bishop César Augusto Franco Martínez has been the bishop of this diocese.
Bishop Vidal Chamorro, auxiliary bishop of Madrid since 2017
The elected bishop of Segovia was born on 6 May 1974 in Madrid. In 1997, he graduated in Economics and Business Administration from the Complutense University of Madrid. This same year he entered the conciliar seminary of La Inmaculada and San Dámaso, also in Madrid. He was ordained a priest on May 8, 2004. In 2007, he obtained a degree in Theology, specializing in Moral Theology, from the University of San Dámaso.
His priestly ministry took place in the diocese of Madrid, where he was parish vicar of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Fátima (2004); vice-counselor (2004-2008) and diocesan councilor (2008-2015) of the General Catholic Action of Madrid; rector of the oratory of the Santo Niño del Remedio (2008-2015); diocesan councilor (2008-2013) and national vice-counselor (2010-2014) of Manos Unidas; episcopal delegates for Children and Youth (2013-2015); rector of the conciliar seminary of Madrid (2015-2017); and parish priest of Santa María de la Cabeza (2016-2017). He also joined the Presbyteral Council in October 2012 and the College of Consultors in July 2017.
On December 29, 2017, his appointment as auxiliary bishop of Madrid was made public, assigning him the titular see of Elepla (Niebla). He received episcopal ordination on February 17, 2018. Since December 8, 2023, he has also been vicar general – moderator of the curia.
He was apostolic administrator of Alcalá de Henares between September 21, 2022, and June 10, 2023.
In the Spanish Episcopal Conference, he is the vice president of the Episcopal Commission for the Clergy and Seminaries and president of the Episcopal Subcommission for Seminaries since March 2020. On November 28, 2023, his appointment as apostolic referent for the updating of initial priestly formation in seminaries in Spain was made public.
Likewise, since November 11, 2020, he is a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development.
Monsignor Franco Martínez, bishop of Segovia since 2014
Monsignor Franco Martínez was born on December 16, 1948 in Piñuecar (Madrid). He was ordained a priest on May 20, 1973. He holds a degree (1978) and a doctorate (1983) in Theology from the Pontifical University of Comillas and a diploma in Biblical Sciences from the Biblical School and Archaeology of Jerusalem (1980).
On May 14, 1996, his appointment as auxiliary bishop of Madrid was made public, assigning him the titular see of Ursona. He received episcopal ordination on June 29 of the same year. On November 12, 2014, his appointment as bishop of Segovia was made public, a see of which he took possession on December 20 of the same year.
In the Spanish Episcopal Conference, he has been a member of the Episcopal Commission for Missions and Cooperation with the Churches since March 2020.
