José Vilaplana Blasco, Bishop emeritus of Huelva, will preside over the Mass of the day 23 d'April 2024

Excel·Most Reverend Mr. José Vilaplana Blasco

Bishop emeritus of Huelva

Monsignor José Vilaplana was born in Benimarfull, Province of Alicante and Archdiocese of Valencia, the 5 December 1944. He studied ecclesiastical studies at the Metropolitan Seminary of Valencia and received priestly ordination on 25 May 1972. During the course 1980-1981 studied Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.

Pastoral duties

After his priestly ordination he developed his ministry, of 1972 a 1974, as coadjutor in the Christ the King parish of Gandia (Valencia). From then until 1980 he was Rector of the Minor Seminary of Xàtiva and responsible for the Institute of BUP in that same town. He was Episcopal Vicar of the Alcoi-Ontinyent area and rector of Penàguila, Benifallim and Alcoleja between 1981 i 1984. The 1984 he was rector of Sant Maure and Sant Francesc in Alcoi (Alicante).

The 20 of November 1984 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Valencia and received episcopal ordination on 27 December of the same year. The 23 August 1991 he was transferred to the episcopal see of Santander. The 17 of July of 2006 he was appointed bishop of Huelva. The 17 June 2020 Pope Francis accepted his resignation from the pastoral government of this diocese.

Other interesting facts

In the Spanish Episcopal Conference, he has been a member of the Episcopal Commission for Consecrated Life since March 2020.

He was a member of the Spanish Episcopal Commission from 1996, position for which he was re-elected in the Plenary Assembly of March 2017 until March of 2020. He was previously president of this Commission and of the Episcopal Commission of the Clergy.