The resignation of Tomás Durán as vicar general of the Diocese of Salamanca has sparked conflicting versions between reports in ecclesiastical media and the official response from Bishop José Luis Retana. While some sources pointed to an atmosphere of tension and weariness within the Salamanca curia, the prelate has publicly come out to deny the existence of a breakdown in trust or internal division.
Durán’s resignation, already accepted by the bishop, was first reported by Religión Confidencial, which cited diocesan sources according to which, in recent months, growing unease had arisen within the curia and among part of the Salamanca clergy.
According to the disseminated information, two regulations promoted during Tomás Durán’s tenure as vicar general had generated internal backlash. One of them affected the economic organization of the diocese and was interpreted by some priests as a concentration of powers around the Vicar General’s Office. Another text related to the internal functioning of the curia had also provoked criticism for being considered excessively interventionist.
Retana denies “an atmosphere of division”
Following the dissemination of these versions, the Diocese of Salamanca published a statement signed by Bishop José Luis Retana in which he categorically rejects the existence of internal deterioration.
The prelate states that the reports about an alleged “atmosphere of distrust and division” respond solely to “the personal opinion of some person” and assures that “at no time has trust or the relationship with the bishop been weakened.”
Retana also sought to dispel “any kind of doubt or rumor” about his relationship with Tomás Durán, insisting that the priest “has had and continues to have the trust and affection of the bishop.”
In the statement, the bishop expressly thanks the work carried out by his main collaborator over the past years and emphasizes that his efforts “have been a valuable help to the bishop and a benefit for the entire diocese.”
Recognition of Tomás Durán’s pastoral trajectory
The diocesan statement also highlights Tomás Durán’s pastoral trajectory and his closeness to priests, religious, and laity in the diocese.
Retana particularly praises “his capacity for listening and dialogue with priests and with the various teams in the diocesan delegations,” as well as the time dedicated to visiting parishes, religious communities, and institutions.
Tomás Durán was born in El Bodón (Salamanca) in 1956 and was ordained a priest in 1983. Over more than four decades of ministry, he has held various pastoral and training responsibilities within the Salamanca diocese.
From 2004 to 2018, he served as vicar for pastoral affairs during the episcopate of Carlos López, a period in which he promoted initiatives such as the Diocesan Assembly held between 2014 and 2016 or the Pastoral Weeks.
Since April 2023, he had held the position of vicar general of Salamanca, combining that responsibility with pastoral care for several parishes and the coordination of the Catechumenate for Unbaptized Adults.
A departure that leaves questions in the diocese
Although the bishop has sought to publicly close any speculation about internal conflicts, the departure of the vicar general has generated attention within the diocese due to the weight that Tomás Durán had in the Salamanca governance structure.
For the moment, the diocese has not announced who will assume the Vicar General’s Office following Durán’s departure.