Josetxo Vera, who has served as Director of Communications for the Spanish Episcopal Conference for nearly twelve years, has announced that he will step down from his position effective September 1, 2026.
The news comes at the end of a press conference, held on the occasion of the meeting of the Permanent Commission of Spanish Bishops, who gathered on June 22 and 23 to assess the work of the Spanish Church following the apostolic visit of the Pope Leo XIV.
In announcing his departure, Josetxo describes his years on the job as “a truly exciting time.” He also admits that he requested to step down last year, but that his resignation could not take effect until 2026. However, he is grateful that the Pope’s trip was his last major assignment, as it was “a wonderful experience” that represents “the best thing that can happen to a journalist.”.
Thanks and good work
In addition, Josetxo thanks the bishops for “their respect and trust” over the past 12 years. He extends his thanks to the journalists who cover religious news and attend the press conferences organized by the Episcopal Conference, as well as to the team that “has made all the successes possible.”.
“I am responsible for everything that has gone wrong and for all the mistakes,” Vera says. However, the secretary general of the Episcopal Conference, Francisco César García Magán, has thanked the former director of communications for his “generous, effective, and loyal work.”.
Although he has stepped down from his position, Josetxo Vera remains in his role as secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Media.
In addition to the resignation of the Director of Communications, the press conference addressed the work of the Permanent Commission, which focused on evaluating the Pope’s apostolic visit to Spain, the tenth anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia,” the presentation of the report on hate crimes in the country, and the work being carried out by the synodal assemblies.
