On 20 February 2022, the Master of the Order, Brother Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, appointed Brother Juan Manuel Hernández, OP, from the Province of Santiago de Mexico, as his Socius for Latin America and the Caribbean. He succeeds Brother Luis Javier Rubio, OP, who was recently elected Prior Provincial of the Province of Mexico.
Born in 1970 in the town of Purísima de Bustos, Guanajuato, Br. Juan Manuel entered the Order in 1996 and made his first profession on 17 August 1998. He was ordained a priest on 28 January 2007.
Br. Juan Manuel has a licentiate in Civil Law and a pontifical licentiate in Canon Law.
In his province, he has served in various capacities. Br. Juan Manuel has been a member of the Council of his province, Canonical Adviser, Provincial Vocation Promoter, National Adviser of the Dominican Youth Movement, Professor in the Provincial House of Studies, Prior of the Convent of San Luis Beltrán (Novitiate), Prior Provincial, and President of CONAFADOM (National Council of the Dominican Family in Mexico). Before his appointment, he was assigned to the Convent of Our Lady of Fatima where he served as Master of Students.