Vicar General of the Institute
The XXII General Chapter of the Marist Brothers, taking place in Rionegro, Colombia, today elected Brother Luis Carlos Gutiérrez Blanco, of the Province of America Central as Vicar General of the Institute of the Marist Brothers of the Schools.
Brother Luis Carlos, Provincial since 2013, replaces Brother Joe McKee, elected in 2009. He will be the Vicar General of the Institute for the next 8 years.
Br Luiz Carlos
Brother Luis Carlos was born in 1967, in Spain. He made his first vows at the Institute in 1986 in Palencia. Soon afterwards he went to Guatemala. He made his perpetual profession in 1992.
Luis Carlos’ apostolate first involved teaching in Marist Colleges in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. He was then appointed by the Provincial as the Brother responsible for overseeing Marist education. This work covered the six countries of the Province.
His university studies were in the areas of Social Studies and Languages. He holds a Bachelor's degree in theology, a Master's degree in educational administration and supervision, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Puerto Rico.
Luis Carlos has a great passion for teaching, which he sees as a space for transformation, humanization and evangelization.
He also has had some experience leading youth movements. Concerning the laity, Luis says: "Around me there have always been special people, lay people, members of fraternities, who remind me by their witness, the richness of our charism."
Luis Carlos was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Religious Conferences of Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Since December 2013, Luis Carlos has been Provincial. He is also a member of the Mission Commission, and the Sub-Committee on Education of the Inter-American Conference of Provincials (CIAP), where he is Coordinator of the Permanent Council.