Early life Ryan Jimenez was born in
Dumaguete,
Philippines, on December 18, 1971, one of four children born to Rogelio and Lilia Jimenez. He grew up on the island of
Siquijor, attending Larena Elementary School there from 1978 to 1984. Deciding to become a priest, Jimenez then entered Saint Joseph Seminary in
Negros Oriental, studying there for four years. He entered the
San José Major Seminary on the campus of
Ateneo de Manila University,
Quezon City, and earned his bachelor's degree in 1992.
Priesthood On June 8, 2003, Jimenez was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa by Bishop
Tomas Aguon Camacho in
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chalan Kanoa. He was
apostolic administrator of the diocese from December 28, 2010 to June 24, 2016.
Bishop of Chalan Kanoa Pope Francis appointed Jimenez the bishop of Chalan Kanoa on June 24, 2016. On August 14, 2016, he was consecrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral as bishop by Archbishop
Savio Tai Fai Hon, secretary of the
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. On the morning of his consecration, a cycling event called Bike The Faith celebrated his efforts to build interfaith community. Jimenez ran several marathons while bishop, beginning with the
Honolulu Marathon in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2016, then the
New York City Marathon in 2017, the Bordeaux Marathon in
Bordeaux, France, in 2019, and the
Chicago Marathon in Chicago, Illinois, in 2021. Jimenez continued to further his education through
Fordham University's Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, which provides electronic outreach to hard-to-reach communities. He said he needed to learn about accompanying diverse communities, both the
LGBT community and the migrants from diverse traditions who feel unwelcome in unfamiliar institutions. In November 2023, he was elected president of the
Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC). In May 2024, he was elected vice president of a larger umbrella organization, Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO).
Appointment as Archbishop On July 6, 2024,
Pope Francis appointed Jimenez as archbishop of Agaña in
Guam, its ninth
ordinary and its fourth
metropolitan archbishop. He was installed on August 15, 2024, the Solemnity of the
Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary at the
Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in
Hagåtña. ==See also==