The Episcopal Conference of Colombia announced the news of the death of Monsignor William de Jesús Ruiz Velasquez, apostolic prefect emeritus of Leticia (Amazonas)who held this position from July 1997 to October 2000.
As reported, the death of Monsignor Ruiz Velásquez, at 82 years of age, It occurred in the early hours of this Tuesday, June 25, in the city of Medellín, where he had lived since 2016 with his family.
This Antiochian prelate He was the second to perform this office, before said ecclesiastical constituency was elevated to Apostolic Vicariateon October 23, 2000 by Pope John Paul II.
For his part, the Father Luis Alfonso Urrego Monsalve, diocesan administrator of Santa Rosa de Ososexpressed his condolences to family and friends of the priest, and reported that the funeral will be held this Wednesday, June 26, at 3:00 pm, in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín.
About Monsignor Ruiz Velásquez
He was born on October 2, 1941 in the municipality of Entrerríos (Antioquia). He studied Philosophy and Theology at the Saint Thomas of Aquinas Conciliar Seminary of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos. He completed a master’s degree in Catechism at the Catholic University of Paris (France).
He was ordained a priest for the clergy of that same jurisdiction on September 11, 1966, by Monsignor Miguel Ángel Builes. There he held multiple pastoral offices, including: Vice Chancellor of the Curia and Notary of the Ecclesiastical Court (1969), Diocesan Promoter of Vocational Ministry (1973), Vicar of Pastoral Care of the Diocese (1995) and Coordinator of Family Pastoral Care (1996). . In July 1997 he was named Apostolic Prefect of Leticia, a mission he carried out for three years.
Upon returning to his native region, between 2001 and 2016 he was parish priest in the municipalities of Amalfi, Yarumal and Donmatías. There he also supported different municipal development processes and promoted initiatives associated with education, the defense of life and institutions. He was a permanent collaborator of the Board of Directors of the Priestly Fraternity Cooperative.
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