Rev. Juan Gonzalez, MSpS, was elected as the Second Counselor of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, Christ the Priest Province, by the Provincial Chapter in Long Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 28.
As Provincial Counselor, Fr. Juan will support the work of the Provincial Superior, and his Vicar, and will advise on important matters. He will lead ministries delegated to him by the Provincial Superior.
A native of Guadalajara, Mexico, Fr. Juan was born on March 17, 1971, and is one of three children. He entered the Congregation on August 22, 29, 1989, and professed First Vows on August 8, 1991. In 1994, he received his bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the Instituto de Filosofía, and his Baccalaureate from the Pontifical Salesian University. He received a Masters's in Gestalt Psychotherapy in June of 1997. He took Final Vows on November 6, 1999, and was ordained to the priesthood on July 8, 2000.
Before his election, Fr. Juan was Provincial Treasurer for 11 years, and before that, he served as pastor at St. Matthew Catholic Church for seven years. His first ministry in the United States was as spiritual director at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon for three years.