Bishop's News from Peru

It is with great joy that we share the news that our dear friend and co-worker in Christ, the Rev Gilberto Porcal, has been elected Suffragan Bishop of Uruguay. Although the election took place on December 12th, the ratification by the Provincial Executive and House of Bishops had to wait until the Provincial meetings in Paraguay in March.
Gilberto came into the Anglican Church a few weeks after our arrival in South America in February 1986. He worked as my assistant in our ministry among street people in Montevideo's Old City and was eventually ordained in 1990, during the visit of the Most Reverend Robert Runcie, the then Archbishop of Canterbury. Several months later Padre Gilberto was sent to work in Salto, where by God's grace he brought to life St Luke's Church, one of the oldest Anglican churches in Latin America. He also founded the mission church of the Holy Spirit, now a parish.
He will make a worthy bishop and his deep faith and spirituality will be a great blessing to the Diocese of Uruguay and the Province. We look forward with great anticipation to his ordination on May 26th, the Feast Day of St Augustine of Canterbury, who was himself a bishop and missionary.