Juan María Uriarte Goiricelaya

Juan María Uriarte Goiricelaya (7 June 1933 – 17 February 2024) was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate. He was bishop of Zamora from 1991 to 2000 and San Sebastián from 2000 to 2009.

During the Basque conflict, in the 1990s he was a recognized voice that advocated for peace and dialogue in the Basque Country, despite being accused of being equidistant, and was mediator between the terrorist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna and the Spanish government during the truce between 1998 and 1999. He was ordained priest on 28 July 1957 in Bilbao. Uriarte graduated in Theology from the Comillas Pontifical University in 1963 and in Psychology from the Catholic University of Leuven in 1974. He also taught Psychology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca and the University of Deusto. That letter, which made the Basque church uncomfortable, was what led to Uriarte's transfer to Zamora.

Uriarte was appointed bishop of San Sebastián on 13 January 2000, and was consecrated on 27 February, succeeding José María Setién.

In 2013 Uriarte demanded that ETA "disarm and dissolve", and that the Spanish Government "sweeten the prison policy to prevent the process from rotting". In an interview in March 2022, Uriarte stated that the Basque conflict will be closed "when generations have passed" and that "the weapons have fallen silent, but reconciliation is more than the peace of arms: it includes memory, truth, justice, dialogue and request for forgiveness".

Death Uriarte died on 17 February 2024, at the age of 90, after being admitted to the Basurto hospital for several days after suffering a stroke at home. Uriarte was later buried in his family pantheon in the cemetery of his hometown.

Works "Presbyteral ministry and spirituality" (2000) "Being a priest in today's culture" (2000) "A priestly spirituality for our time" (2011) "The reconciliation" (2013) "Followers and Servers of the Word of God" (2014) "Celibacy" (2014) Source: