Friar Simón Puertas Pérez begins a new three-year term at the head of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova

A new three-year term to continue building the Province

Some events do not simply mark the end of a process, but the beginning of a new path.

This is how the 38th Provincial Chapter of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova concluded, held between July 13 and 24 at the Sitio Santo Agostinho, in Rio de Janeiro. After several days of prayer, mutual listening, discernment, and chapter work, the religious confirmed Friar Simón Puertas Pérez as Prior Provincial for the 2026–2029 three-year term.

The decision does not represent only the continuity of a service of governance. It is also an expression of the trust placed in the one who will accompany the Province over the next three years, fostering fraternal life, the evangelizing mission, and the implementation of the new Project of Life and Mission approved during the Chapter.

A native of Granada (Spain), Friar Simón was born on May 4, 1972. He made his solemn profession on November 25, 1995, and was ordained a priest on June 28, 1997. Throughout his ministry he has held pastoral, educational, and governance responsibilities in both Spain and Brazil. Until now, he served as first provincial councillor and president of the Commission for Social Apostolate (CAS).

A team at the service of communion

Along with the Prior Provincial, the new Provincial Council was constituted, made up of religious from different countries and with extensive experience in formation, education, pastoral ministry, and governance. A diversity that reflects the international and missionary character of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova.

Friar Marcus Vinícius Dorrigo Leite

First councillor and provincial vicar

Born in Castelo (Espírito Santo, Brazil) on April 28, 1976, he made his solemn profession in 2004 and was ordained a priest in 2005. He has carried out his ministry as formation master, parochial vicar, parish priest, provincial secretary, prior, councillor, and provincial bursar. His experience in fostering communities and in provincial governance will be one of the main supports for the new Prior Provincial.

Friar Nicolás Luis Caballero Peralta

Second councillor

A native of Granada (Spain), he was born on May 29, 1978. He made his solemn profession in 2003 and received priestly ordination in 2004. For several years he carried out his ministry in Spain as a teacher, school administrator, and provincial councillor. In recent years he has continued his service in Brazil, where he has also assumed responsibilities in the educational and governance spheres.

Friar Danillo Da Souza Santos

Third councillor

He was born in Rio de Janeiro on December 8, 1987. After completing his Theology studies in Monachil (Spain), he began his ministry in Portel and later served as vocation promoter for northern Brazil, based in Belém. He made his solemn profession in 2022 and was ordained a priest in 2023. During the last three-year term he chaired the Provincial Secretariat for Vocations and was part of the General Secretariat for Vocations. More recently, he served as parish administrator of Nossa Senhora da Luz, in Portel (Marajó).

Friar Johan Ramón Caldera

Fourth councillor

A native of Valera (Trujillo state, Venezuela), he was born on October 22, 1984. He made his solemn profession in 2014 and was ordained a priest in 2015. He studied Theology in Peru and later studied Catechetics in Salamanca (Spain). His ministry has been closely linked to vocation promotion, education, and parish service in Venezuela.

Friar Ken James Kayathinkal

Provincial secretary

Originally from Calicut (Kerala, India), he was born on April 5, 1993. He completed all his initial formation in Spain, where he made his solemn profession in 2020 and received priestly ordination on February 21, 2022. He later carried out his ministry in Mar del Plata (Argentina), while studying Canon Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina (UCA). He also has studies in Eastern Patrology at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He now takes on the service as provincial secretary.

The provincial vicars

The Chapter also appointed the religious who will foster the different vicariates of the Province.

Argentina

Friar Luis González Gallardo

Born in Granada (1990), he arrived in Argentina in 2017 to begin his community insertion in the Parish of Saint Joseph in Santa Fe. He made his solemn profession in 2018 and was ordained a priest in 2019. All his pastoral experience has been developed in Santa Fe, where he has served in the parish, the Niño Jesús and San Ezequiel Moreno School, and has also collaborated in vocation promotion.

Spain

Friar José María Sánchez Martín

A native of Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain), he was born on August 29, 1973. He made his solemn profession in 1996 and was ordained a priest in 1998. Throughout his ministry he has carried out various services as a teacher, school principal, provincial vicar, and general councillor of the Order. Until this Chapter he served as provincial vicar of Spain, a responsibility for which he has been re-elected by the 38th Provincial Chapter.

Peru

Friar Wilmer Antonio Moyetones Alvarado

Born in Yaritagua (Venezuela) in 1977, he made his solemn profession in 2011 and was ordained a priest that same year. After completing his formation in Peru, he carried out part of his ministry in Spain and later returned to Peru to dedicate himself to formation, becoming novice master in Monteagudo. Since 2022 he has served as provincial vicar of Peru, a service for which he has been re-elected.

Venezuela

Friar Alfredo Alejandro Sánchez Quevedo

A native of El Abejal (Táchira state, Venezuela), he was born in 1983. He made his solemn profession in 2008 and was ordained a priest in 2009. He has carried out his ministry in schools, parishes, and formation communities in Venezuela, and has also pursued studies in Salamanca (Spain). He has also held responsibilities as prior and vicarial councillor.

Brazil

Since the seat of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova is in Brazil, the Prior Provincial himself exercises authority in this country as Major Superior.

From discernment to mission

The 38th Provincial Chapter brought together twenty-nine capitular religious, accompanied by the secretaries and the communications team, in an intense journey of discernment carried out through the informational, deliberative, commission, decision-making, and election phases. The entire process was sustained by the daily celebration of the Eucharist, community prayer, and the spiritual support of communities, families, and friends who, from different places, prayed for the fruits of the Chapter.

The closing took place with the Eucharist presided over by the new Prior Provincial, who recalled that he takes on this service “by faith” and with the certainty of feeling sustained by the faith of all the brothers. With that sending forth, the Chapter concluded and a new stage began for the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova.

Now the path opens to bring to life the Project of Life and Mission discerned during these days. A path that invites us to continue strengthening fraternity, renewing the charism, and proclaiming the Gospel with one heart and one soul, at the service of the Church and the world.