January 11, 2018 — The board of directors of Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola, the Jesuit secondary school in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has appointed Jesuit Father Timothy Howe to serve as the school’s next president, effective July 1, 2018. He succeeds Jesuit Father Flavio Bravo, who has served as interim president since March 2016.
Fr. Howe is an experienced school leader, having served as president of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati since 2009. He previously spent 10 years as pastor of St. Procopius Parish in Chicago. He is a member of Colegio San Ignacio’s board of directors, so he knows the school and its environment well.
The search for Colegio’s next president was a global effort, as the board set their sights on a Jesuit educator with international experience who is fully committed to Jesuit and Catholic education and who communicates easily in both Spanish and English.
“We have sought candidates from many countries,” said Jesuit Father Ronald Mercier, provincial of the Jesuits’ Central and Southern Province. “Fr. Timothy Howe brings many gifts. He has worked in many places, including Spain. He is a gifted educator, who has led one of our largest high schools (St. Xavier) and has nourished its excellent tradition. He has ministered in both English and Spanish. Most importantly, he is a man of deep faith, a generous Jesuit.”
Fr. Mercier also expressed deep gratitude for Fr. Bravo’s service. “Fr. Bravo has served the Colegio community very well during a time of major transitions and most recently as the Colegio has recovered from the effects of Hurricane Maria. He has given himself generously to the work of strengthening the Colegio and preparing for the future. On behalf of the Society of Jesus and the whole Colegio family, I want to thank him for his generous and wise leadership.”
Fr. Bravo will continue in his role as superior of the Jesuit Community in Puerto Rico. [Source: Central and Southern Province]