The P. Eduardo Robles-Gil, LC has announced today, March 19, through a letter addressed to the Legionaries of Christ and members of Regnum Christi in the territory of Central and Western Europe, the appointment of P. Valentin Gögele, LC as the new territorial director, replacing P. Andreas Schöggl, LC.

In the same letter, the appointment of P. Paul Habsburg, LC as territorial vicar was announced, along with the appointment of the congregation’s territorial counselors: Fathers George Elsbett, LC, Henri Duc-Maugé, LC, and Martin Baranowski, LC. The new territorial government will begin its three-year term on August 1, 2018.

P. Valentin is originally from South Tyrol, Italy. He was born on December 20, 1979. He entered the Novitiate of Gozzano (Italy) in 2000. He made his perpetual profession on October 7, 2007, and was ordained a priest on December 24, 2010. He is currently rector of the vocational and higher education center of the community in Bad Münstereifel (Germany); he is also the local apostolate coordinator of Regnum Christi in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In another letter, addressed to the Legionaries and members of the Movement in the territories of Chile and Argentina, P. Eduardo announced the appointment of P. Gabriel Bárcena, LC, as territorial director, replacing P. Xavier Castro, LC.

The territorial council was composed of Fathers Rafael Ducci, LC (territorial vicar), Joel López, LC, Jesús Pérez, LC, and Pablo de Juan, LC. These new appointments will also take effect on August 1, 2018.

P. Gabriel Bárcena, LC was born in San Luis Postosí (Mexico) in 1972. He entered the Legion of Christ Novitiate in 1989. He made his perpetual profession in 1997 and was ordained a priest on December 22, 2001. He has served as director of the Colegio Real Monasterio de Santa Isabel in Barcelona (Spain), and as delegate of the territorial director of Chile for educational centers.