Father John Connor, LC, General Director of the Legionaries of Christ, announced in a letter dated March 25, 2021, the appointment of Father Carlos Alberto Gutiérrez López, LC, for a second three-year term as the territorial director of the Legionaries of Christ in Colombia-Venezuela.

In the same letter, the appointment of Father Josef James Hare, LC, for a second term as territorial vicar is announced. The other members of the Colombia-Venezuela Territorial Council are also named: Father Pedro Guzmán, LC (second term), Father Carlos Ortiz Alzate, LC, and Father Leonardo José Pérez-Castilla Martín, LC.

Gratitude is expressed to Father Fernando Morales, LC, and Father Juan Carlos Quintero, LC, who are ending their terms as advisors in the Colombia-Venezuela Territory.

The new territorial government will begin its three-year term on September 1, 2021.

Father Carlos Alberto Gutiérrez López, LC

Father Carlos Gutiérrez was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, on July 23, 1974. He studied high school and Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, graduating in December 1996. In 1998, he was a collaborator of Regnum Christi in Santiago, Chile. He entered the Legion of Christ Novitiate in September 1999 in Gozzano, Italy.

During his apostolic practices, from 2001 to 2004, he was assistant to the ECYD in Santiago, Chile. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. During those years, he collaborated as an assistant to the general secretariat and as a member of the training team of the general leadership. He was ordained a priest on December 12, 2009. From that year until 2012, he served as assistant to the territorial director for apostolate in Colombia-Venezuela. From 2010 to 2012, he was superior of the Bogotá apostolate community and local coordinator. In 2012, he was appointed territorial counselor for Venezuela. From 2014 to 2015, he was director of ECYD in Monterrey.

In 2016, he obtained a master’s degree in psychology from Divine Mercy University, United States. He was part of the training team of the religious community of the General Directorate and was coordinator of the general pastoral family and youth area.

He was appointed territorial director of Colombia-Venezuela in 2018. On April 6, 2021, he was confirmed for a second three-year term starting September 1, 2021.

Father Josef James Hare, LC

Father Josef was born on October 31, 1981, in San Diego, California, United States. In September 1999, he entered the Cheshire Novitiate, United States, where he made his first profession in September 2001 and his perpetual profession on September 1, 2007. He studied classical humanities in Cheshire, United States. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and a licentiate in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

He was ordained a priest on December 14, 2013. From 2016 to 2019, he was director of the Cumbres Institute of Caracas, Venezuela. Since 2019, he has been director of the Cumbres School of Bogotá and director of the men’s section in Chía, Colombia.

On April 6, 2021, he was renewed for a second term as first counselor and territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ in Colombia-Venezuela, starting September 1, 2021.

Father Pedro Guzmán, LC

Father Pedro was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, on July 30, 1980. He entered the Vocational Center of León in July 1992. He entered the Monterrey Novitiate in September 1996. He took his first religious vows in August 1998. He studied classical humanities in Salamanca, Spain. He holds a licentiate in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. From August 2001 to July 2004, he carried out his apostolic practices as a novice assistant in Medellín, Colombia. He made his perpetual profession on October 3, 2004.

He was ordained a priest on December 24, 2010. From 2010 to 2017, he was instructor of novices in the Colombia-Venezuela Territory. Since 2017, he has been director of the Highlands School Quito.

On April 6, 2021, he was renewed for a second three-year term as territorial counselor for the Legionaries of Christ in Colombia-Venezuela, starting September 1, 2021.

Father Carlos Ortiz Alzate, LC

Father Carlos Ortiz was born on October 18, 1978, in Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia. He entered the Rionegro Vocational Center in November 1995. He entered the Cheshire Novitiate in February 1997 in Medellín, Colombia. He took his first religious vows in February 1999. He studied classical humanities in Salamanca, Spain. He holds a licentiate in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He made his perpetual profession on February 27, 2005. He was ordained a priest on December 12, 2011.

Since 2011, he has been a vocations promoter in Medellín and the Coffee Axis, and in 2016, he carried out this work in Bogotá, Colombia. During these years, he was also superior of the Medellín apostolate community (2012-2016) and superior of the Bogotá apostolate community (2016-2017). From 2015 to 2018, he was a territorial counselor for Colombia-Venezuela. From 2016 to 2019, he was a member of the Territorial Steering Committee of Regnum Christi for Colombia-Venezuela. Since 2019, he has been superior of the apostolate community of Altamira, Rionegro, and instructor of novices at the same location.

On April 6, 2021, he was appointed for a three-year term as territorial counselor for the Legionaries of Christ in Colombia-Venezuela, starting September 1, 2021.

Father Leonardo José Pérez-Castilla Martín, LC

Father Leonardo was born on August 21, 1984, in Caracas, Venezuela. In October 2006, he entered the Salamanca Novitiate in Spain, where he made his first profession in September 2008. He made his perpetual profession on August 20, 2016. He studied classical humanities in Salamanca, Spain. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. He carried out his apostolic practices as an assistant to humanists in Monterrey, Mexico.

He was ordained a priest on December 16, 2017. He currently serves as director of the pastoral team at the Cumbres Institute of Caracas, Venezuela.

On April 6, 2021, he was appointed for a three-year term as territorial counselor for the Legionaries of Christ in Colombia-Venezuela, starting September 1, 2021.