Toribio de Mogrovejo

Biography

Due to his great gifts, while still a layman, he was named Archbishop of Lima. After receiving the priesthood and being ordained bishop, he took possession of his enormous diocese, with dominion over Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile and part of Argentina. On tireless trips, almost always on foot, he visited his Archdiocese three times. He built schools and hospitals. He founded the first conciliar seminary in South America. He excelled in piety, spirit of sacrifice, kindness and concern for those most in need. He is, without a doubt, one of the people who has contributed most to the spread of the Church in Latin America, to the extent that Pope Benedict XIV compared him to Saint Charles Borromeo, the famous Archbishop of Milan. His great zeal is an example for us to go anywhere to look for those who are not close to God.