Pope Leo XIV appointed on this August 29 Mons. Lizardo Estrada Herrera, O.S.A., as coadjutor archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cusco, according to the Official Bulletin of the Holy See. The appointment involves the transfer from his current titular see of Ausuccura and the conclusion of his service as auxiliary bishop of this jurisdiction.
Mons. Estrada is closely acquainted with the pastoral reality of the Cusco Church. Since February 2021, he has served as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, so his appointment as coadjutor continues a service that began more than five years ago. In this new responsibility, he will accompany the current archbishop and, when the see becomes vacant, he will assume succession according to the norms of canonical law.
The appointment comes while Mons. Estrada continues to hold a continental-level responsibility as general secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (Celam), a position he has held since 2023.
Formation and pastoral
Born on September 23, 1973, in the province of Cotabambas, within the territory of the Archdiocese of Cusco, Lizardo Estrada entered the Order of Saint Augustine. He studied Philosophy at the Our Lady of Cocharcas Seminary in Abancay, and later pursued Theology at the San Carlos and San Marcelo Seminary in Trujillo.
He made his first religious vows in 1998 and took his solemn profession in 2001. He was ordained a priest on August 7, 2005. His academic training includes a bachelor's degree in Moral Theology from the Pontifical Alfonsian Academy in Rome, studies in Pedagogy, and a bachelor's degree in Education from the Catholic University of Trujillo, as well as a doctorate in Pastoral Theology from the Pontifical University of Medellín, Colombia.
He also has specialized training in Social Doctrine of the Church and social pastoral care conducted at the Biblical Theological Pastoral Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cebitepal) of Celam.
His priestly ministry has mainly developed in formation, consecrated life, and pastoral accompaniment. He was a professor in educational institutions and seminaries, a parochial vicar, a novice formator, a religious superior, and responsible for pastoral and educational works of the Order of Saint Augustine.
Among his responsibilities is also serving as Regional Vicar and Major Superior of the Augustinian Fathers of the Vicariate of San Agustín de Apurímac, from 2013 to 2016. He later became prior of the Augustinian Convent Fray Diego Ortiz and promoter and general director of the San Agustín de Hipona School in Cusco.
Service to the Church of Peru and Latin America
His career also includes responsibilities within the pastoral organization of the Peruvian Church. Between 2015 and 2018, he was part of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultants of the Archdiocese of Cusco and served as Episcopal Vicar for Consecrated Life.
Later on he was the parish priest of Santa Rita de Casia, in Cusco, and between 2019 and 2021 he served as Episcopal Vicar for Consecrated Life of the Archdiocese of Trujillo. During that period he also presided over the Federation of Augustinians of the Vicariates of Peru.
Pope Francis appointed him titular bishop of Ausuccura and auxiliary of Cusco on January 9, 2021.. His episcopal ordination took place on February 22 of the same year.
Since then, his episcopal service has been related to the pastoral processes of the Latin American and Caribbean Church. As the general secretary of Celam, he has accompanied since 2023 various initiatives for continental coordination and the processes of pastoral renewal promoted by the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean.
With his appointment as coadjutor archbishop, Mons. Estrada will continue his ministry in a Church that he knows from its roots and in which he has developed a good part of his priestly and episcopal journey.
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