Bishop of Barbastro-Monzón reassigns priests across five deaneries
The bishop of Barbastro-Monzón, in northeastern Spain, has appointed new pastors, deans and moderators of priestly teams in the Somontano, Ribagorza, Cinca Medio, Bajo Cinca and Sobrarbe. The changes take effect between August 14 and September 3, 2026
The bishop of Barbastro-Monzón, a diocese in the Aragon region of northeastern Spain, has made a series of appointments and adjustments intended to improve pastoral care. The decisions take effect between August 14 and September 3, 2026, and were made after consulting the priests concerned and a number of local communities. They affect the coordination of pastoral units and deaneries in the Somontano, the Ribagorza, the Cinca Medio, the Bajo Cinca and the Sobrarbe.
In the Somontano deanery, two priests join the Barbastro pastoral unit: Juan Carlos Castillo Fernández and Óscar Ramos Palacios, both as pastors in solidum. Johanny Cardona Villegas has been named moderator of the unit's team of priests and will also serve as dean of the Somontano. The unit covers the parishes of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (the cathedral), San Francisco de Asís and San José in Barbastro, as well as Fonz, Estadilla and Pozán de Vero.
There are changes in the Bajo Cinca deanery too. The bishop has accepted the resignation of José María Huerva Mateo as dean and as moderator of the team of priests, though he remains a pastor in solidum of the pastoral unit. Juan Ignacio Cardona Orozco succeeds him in both roles and will lead the team of priests of the Fraga pastoral unit, which takes in 19 parishes and population centers, among them Fraga, Torrente de Cinca and Ballobar.
In the Ribagorza, Heimer Alfonso Pabón Orduz has been appointed pastor in solidum and moderator of the team of priests of the Graus pastoral unit. Sergio Esteban Arango Herrera and Jean Marie Vianney Sagira will also serve as pastors in solidum. The unit covers the parish groups of Graus, Benabarre, Capella and Roda de Isábena, together with their towns and hamlets.
In the Sobrarbe pastoral unit, the bishop has named Crisanto Antonio López Durango pastor in solidum and moderator. José Vidal Salazar Restrepo takes the same role in the Monzón pastoral unit, which includes the parish of Santa María del Romeral in Monzón and other towns such as Alfántega, Almunia de San Juan and Binaced.
Based on reporting by Lucas Alonso for Iglesia Noticias. This article was translated and adapted from Spanish with the help of artificial intelligence.
