Fr Francisco Lezama is 43 years of age and was born in the city of Montevideo on 11 September 1979. He met the Salesians in the Salesian work at Las Piedras, where he was involved in youth groups and parish activities.
His parents, Luis Carlos Lezama and Graciela Pérez, still live in Las Piedras.
He did all his initial formation in Montevideo. He completed his novitiate between 1999 and 2000, made his perpetual profession on 31 January 2006 in Montevideo, and was ordained priest in his hometown on 11 October 2008.
His first years of priestly ministry were spent in the Salesian Juan XXIII Institute in Montevideo. Then, from 2012 to 2015 he studied Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.
Between 2018 and 2020 he was Rector and parish priest of the Pius IX Institute at Villa Colón, as well as a member of the Province Formation team and Delegate for Vocation Ministry. In 2021 he began his service as Vice-Provincial and Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, positions he held until October 2022, when he was appointed Provincial Economer.
Fr Lezama will succeed Fr Alfonso Bauer as Provincial of URU, who will conclude his six-year service in January 2024.
