Over the weekend, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Ryan Jimenez from the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa in the CNMI as the next Archbishop of Agana starting Aug. 15.  

Jimenez shared this message with Guam Catholics in his first interview after the announcement.

“The church of the Archdiocese of Agana has been through a lot. It's always good to remind myself on the context, the kind of church where I will be assigned, that the work for continuing healing of the more than 200 victims that should always be at the forefront. And how the church should be accountable and the mistakes of the church, how we can now, like, really enhance our child protection policies, our safeguarding policies, and all of that. But equally important than that is the work of evangelization, that as a church, we're in the business of proclaiming God's Word,” said Bishop Ryan Jimenez. 

Father Romeo Convocar has served as the Archdiocese of Agana Apostolic Administrator since March 2023 following the resignation of Archbishop Michael Byrnes due to health reasons. Convocar said, “Finally, our prayers asking God for a Guam Sheperd are answered!” 

Jimenez first came to the CNMI as a migrant worker in 1995 and taught at Eskuelan San Francisco de Borja on Rota. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2003. In 2010, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Chalan Kanoa and, in 2016, as its second bishop.

His appointment has many wondering where that leaves the CNMI. 

“Either Rome would appoint an apostolic administrator. If not, the College of Consulters composed of priests in our diocese would elect a diocesan administrator. And then the process would begin, which, as I've experienced before, I was elected here, it took us six years. So we don't know how long, but, there will be a process,” he said.