[Episcopal News Service] The Rev. Rafael Morales was elected Dec. 10 to be the next bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Puerto Rico.

Pending the canonically required consent of a majority of the Episcopal Church’s diocesan standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction, he will succeed the Rt. Rev. Wilfrido Ramos Orench who has served as provisional bishop since March 2014. Morales’ ordination and consecration is scheduled for July 22, 2017.

He was elected on the third ballot during an election assembly held at the Lions Club of Bayamón.

The other nominees were:

• Rev. Pres. Carla Roland Guzmán – Diocese of New York
• Rev. P. César Ramírez Segarra – Diocese of Puerto Rico
• Rev. P. Luis Fernando Padilla Morales – Diocese of Puerto Rico

Morales, who was ordained a priest in mid-2011, is the rector of Parroquia Santa María Magdalena in Levittown, Puerto Rico.