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Anglican Church in America Synod Approves Election of Bishop Juan Garcia Germain of Puerto Rico as New Archbishop
Press Release
January 30, 2020
The Anglican Church in America House of Bishops, Executive Council and national church delegates meeting in General Synod in Atlanta, Georgia have elected Bishop Juan B. Garcia Germain as the new Archbishop of the national church body and President and presiding bishop of the House of Bishops. He will succeed Archbishop Brian Marsh whose served as nine years as head of the national church. Bishop March will continue in his role as Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Northeast, ACA. The Anglican Church in America is a province of the global Traditional Anglican Church, comprised of 9 international provincial jurisdictions, in 44 nations worldwide, and is an ecclesiastical body of Christ's One Holy and Catholic Apostolic Church.
Archbishop García was born on June 19, 1952 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The oldest child of four children, he studied in the Holy Trinity Episcopal School under the Transfiguration Nuns and Bishop Justo Pastor Ruiz. In addition to his theological education, he studied music beginning at an early age. Archbishop Garcia also studied engineering at the college of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts (UPR), Mayagüez Campus, (1970-1975) and completed master's classes at the University of Tennessee.
He married Nereida Valentín García in 1975 and is the father of four children; Freddie, Neyra, Leyinsca, and Juan. Under the care and spiritual guidance of Bishop Justo Pastor Ruiz, he prepared for Holy Orders. In 1987, he was ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop Ruiz and ordained to the priesthood in 1989 by Bishop Ruben Rodríguez Molina. He was consecrated Bishop of Puerto Rico, and Episcopal Visitor for Colombia in February 8, 1997 in Ponce PR by Archbishop Louis W. Falk, who was principal consecrator. At present, he is the Bishop of the Diocese of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean and will continue in that role.
He previously worked for Westinghouse and Cuttler Hammer Eaton Corporation, holding various managerial positions for more than 25 years. He is a member of "La Banda Municipal de Ponce" and for the last 46 years participated as clarinetist, sub-conductor, and as conductor since 2013. This band was founded by a very renowned Musician, Juan Morel Campos in 1883, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Since establishment, this band has been continuously playing every Sunday night, in the town square.
