This past Thursday, June 16, 2011, Fr. Benoît Grière, Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption, appointed Fr. José Miguel Diaz Ayllón  Provincial of North America.

Fr. Miguel Diaz accepted the mission entrusted to him and will take office on July 1, 2011.

Short Biography

José Miguel Díaz Ayllón, Mexican, is currently the pastor of the Assumptionist parish in Mexico City, Emperatriz de America, where he also serves as superior of the community; he is also regional superior of the Assumptionists in Mexico.  A native of the capital city, where he was born on October 25, 1959, he is the second of six children.

He was studying to become a veterinarian when he discovered his vocation to religious life. This conversión led him to leave his studies, find a job for a year, and reflect on the possibility of such a vocation. The following year, 1982, he became a candidate for religious life with the Assumptionists. He studied philosophy at the Universidad Intercontinental de México (UIC) where things didn’t go so well when he supported a decision of workers to unionize. He was later sent to Chile for his novitiate and made his first profession on February 1, 1987.

After completing his theological studies at the Jesuit institute, Máximo de Cristo Rey, in Mexico City he obtained a degree in spiritual direction and formation at the Centro de Investigación y Estudio de Pastoral (CIEP) of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit (MSpS) of Mexico.

He made his final vows on Christmas Day, 1990, in a small chapel close to the Assumptionist community of Casa Manuel. He was ordained a priest on February 18, 1995 in a parish nearby, San Andres, for which the Assumptionists took responsibility two years ago.

Since then, he has served in many capacities:
In  August 1994, formator and superior at Casa Dufault (house for young religious)
In 1996, superior of Casa Manuel (pre-novitiate formation)
From 2003 to present: Regional Superior of Mexico
From 2007 to present: Director of Formation for the Province of North America
From 1996 to present: pastor of the Assumptionist parish, Emperatriz de America.

Fr. Miguel is a real brother  -----  welcoming, approachable, warm, etc. Besides his mother tongue, Spanish, he gets along well in French and English.

Best of luck, Fr. Miguel !!!