Fernando Torres Durán

Fernando Torres Durán (born August 2, 1937 in Cartago - † November 13, 2019 in Panama City ) was a Panamanian clergyman and Roman Catholic bishop of Chitré .

Life

Fernando Torres Durán first attended the Minor Seminary in Cali and studied philosophy and theology at the seminary in Cali and at the Latin American Catechetical Institute in San Antonio, Texas, USA. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Cali on July 16, 1960 by Diego María Gómez, Archbishop of Popayán. He completed canon law studies at the Javeriana University of Bogotá. Among other things, he was the private secretary of the Bishop of Cali, Vice Chancellor and Chancellor of the Archdiocese and Archdiocesan Director of Caritas and chaplain of the Pichincha Infantry Battalion (Batallón Pichincha). He was Rector of the Regional Seminary of San Pedro Apóstol in the Valle del Cauca and Vice Dean of Philosophy at the University of San Buenaventura, seat of Cali. In 1989 he was made an honorary papal prelate.

Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop in Panama and titular bishop of Abaradira on November 29, 1996 . The Archbishop of Panama, José Dimas Cedeño Delgado , donated him episcopal ordination on December 21 of the same year ; Co- consecrators were Pedro Rubiano Sáenz , Archbishop of Bogotá , and Daniel Enrique Núñez Núñez , Bishop of David . On July 2, 1999, he was appointed Bishop of Chitré by John Paul II . On April 25, 2013, Pope Francis accepted his age-related resignation.

From 1998 to 2003 Fernando Torres Durán was also director of CELAM for the coordination of Latin American military chaplaincy. From 1999 to 2005 he was general secretary of the Panamanian Bishops 'Conference (CEP) and until 2006 delegate of the CEP to the Latin American Bishops' Council (CELAM). Until 2013 he was President of the National Church Court of Panama.

In 2004 he founded the Major Seminary of Santa María La Antigua in La Villa de Los Santos, which was academically affiliated with the Pontifical Bolivarian University of Medellín. He was an advisor to the Council of Rectors of the Universities of Panama.

Fernando Torres Durán was a native of Colombia, but was a citizen of Panama .

honors and awards

• 2009 - Knight of the Real Asociación Caballeros del Monasterio de Yuste (Spain)
• 2009 - Master of Education Management Award in Latin America (Magister en Gestión Educativa de Iberoamérica)
• 2009 - Honorary doctorate for education in Latin America by the Iberoamerican Council in honor of the quality of education (Consejo Iberoamericano en honor a la calidad educativa)
• 2010 - Honorary Doctorate in Education from Columbus University (Panama)
• 2010 - Grand Cross of the Order de Vasco Núñez de Balboa (Panama)
• 2010 - Honorary Citizenship of Heroica Villa de Los Santos
• 2012 - Medal of Honor from the National Police of Panama
• 2012 - Grand Officer of the Orden de Manuel Amador Guerrero, the highest distinction to be awarded in Panama.
• 2012 - Flag bearer of the Chitré district
• 2013 - Tomás Herrera Medal of the Herrera Governorate
• 2014 - Honorary Doctorate in Church History from the Universidad Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Panama City

Web links

• Entry on Fernando Torres Durán on catholic-hierarchy.org
• Biography of Fernando Torres Durán (Spanish)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Muere monseñor Fernando Torres Durán, obispo emérito de Chitré on tvn-2.com
2. ↑ GESE-La Estrella de Panamá: Falleció Fernando Torres Durán, Emérito Obispo de Chitre. Retrieved November 15, 2019 (Spanish). 
3. ^ Fallce Fernando Torres Durán, obispo emérito de la Diócesis de Chitré. November 14, 2019, accessed November 15, 2019 (Spanish). 
4. ↑ http://www.news.va/it/news/123303
5. ^ "Fallce Fernando Torres Durán, Obispo de Chitré" on ensegundos.com.pa of November 14, 2019 (Spanish)

predecessor	Office	successor
José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán OAR	Bishop of Chitré 1999–2013	Rafael Valdivieso Miranda