The Rt. Rev. Hector F Monterroso, Bishop Assistant

The Rt. Rev. Hector F Monterroso, Bishop Assistant

The Rt. Rev. Hector F Monterroso, Bishop Assistant

The Rt. Rev. Hector F Monterroso, Bishop Assistant

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About Bishop Monterroso

A native of Guatemala, the Rt. Rev. Hector F. Monterroso served as bishop of Costa Rica for 14 years before becoming bishop assistant in the Diocese of Texas, July 1, 2017.

His father’s professional soccer career proved to be an opener for him in gathering people to a new worshiping community. “My training in the seminary did not include how to [plant] new churches,” he said, but with his inherited soccer skills, he soon made headway. “People couldn’t believe that a priest could play soccer. I visited many small towns where the people came to learn that I was the priest of the new church. Many young people came to the church to meet and to play on my soccer team. Eventually, we had our own soccer team sponsored by the Episcopal Church. It was good advertising,” he laughed.

In addition to his experience as a missionary, and as Bishop of Costa Rica, Bishop Monterroso also served as Secretary General of Province IX (1986-2000); as editor of the Revista Anglicanos for 16 years, a magazine that served the Hispanic diaspora in the Anglican Communion; and as Secretary General of the Anglican Church of the Central Region of America. During his tenure in Costa Rica, he secured its financial stability, increased the number of clergy from seven to 29, assured that most congregations were self-sustaining, and gained governmental recognition and support for many of the Diocese’s programs. 

In Texas, Bishop Monterroso will continue to strengthen the growth in both Hispanic congregations as well as new missional communities and church plants. He will visit 45 congregations during the year; primarily in the southern region of the Diocese of Texas; chair the board of St. Vincent’s House, a social service agency in Galveston; support growth of multicultural presence in all congregations and help to create a strategy for new ethnic church plants and missional communities. Additionally, Assistant Bishop Monterroso will work to identify vocational leaders within the Hispanic congregations.

Bishop Monterroso earned an engineering degree and attended seminary at night while working for a rum company. He was ordained as a deacon in 1986, a priest in 1987 in the Diocese of Guatemala and consecrated as the Bishop of Costa Rica on June 7, 2003. He and his wife, Sandra Cardona, have two grown children: María Beatriz, a medical doctor in Costa Rica, and Héctor Ramón, a civil engineer.

             

Originario de Guatemala, el Rvdmo. Héctor Monterroso fue Obispo de Costa Rica durante 14 años antes de convertirse en Obispo Auxiliar en la Diócesis de Texas, el 1 de julio de 2017. 

"Aprendí mucho en Costa Rica", dijo el ex ingeniero. "Aprendí a iniciar nuevas misiones, aprendí lo que significa la respuesta de Dios cuando estamos desesperados, aprendí a ser paciente y esperar la respuesta de Dios, aprendí a usar todo lo que Dios me ha dado para servir de la mejor manera posible," dijo el Obispo, agregando, "en cada transición de mi vida, he aprendido que Dios nunca me decepcionará". 

Fue ordenado diácono en 1986, sacerdote en 1987 en la Diócesis de Guatemala y consagrado como Obispo de Costa Rica el 7 de junio de 2003. Él y su esposa, Sandra Cardona, tienen dos hijos mayores: María Beatriz, doctora, y Héctor Ramón, ingeniero civil.

La incorporación del Obispo Monterroso a la diócesis continuará fortaleciendo el crecimiento de las congregaciones hispanas, así como de las nuevas comunidades misioneras y las iglesias en la Diócesis de Texas. Se une al Obispo de la Diócesis Andy Doyle y a los Obispos Sufragáneos Dena Harrison y Jeff Fisher para proveer una presencia episcopal en las más de 200 comunidades episcopales de la diócesis: 154 congregaciones (tres con dos sitios), 35 comunidades misioneras, 14 ministerios universitarios y numerosas instituciones. 

El Obispo Monterroso visitará 45 congregaciones durante el año; Principalmente en la región sur de la Diócesis de Texas; Estará en cargo de la junta directiva de la Casa de San Vicente, una agencia de servicios sociales en Galveston; Apoyará el crecimiento de la presencia multicultural en nuestras congregaciones y ayudará a crear una estrategia para las nuevas iglesias étnicas y las comunidades misioneras. Además, el Obispo Monterroso trabajará para identificar líderes vocacionales dentro de las congregaciones hispanas.