The parish community of Manilva and San Luis de Sabinillas will face one of the most significant changes of recent years next September. The Diocese of Málaga has announced the replacement of parish priest José Antonio Melgar Muriana, who will leave the parishes of Santa Ana de Manilva and San Luis de Sabinillas after twelve years of service, to take on a new responsibility leading the parishes of San José de Estepona and Purísimo Corazón de María de Cancelada. In his place, the priest José Carlos Huete Arquero will be the new parish priest of Santa Ana de Manilva, while Luis Miguel Aguilar Castillo will take over the parish of San Luis de Sabinillas.
The announcement, which forms part of the pastoral reorganisation undertaken by the Diocese for the new year, has been received with surprise and great sadness among many parishioners in the municipality. After more than a decade sharing in the everyday life of Manilva and Sabinillas, José Antonio Melgar has become a much-loved figure for many residents, who have always highlighted his approachability, simplicity and ability to get involved in the social life of the municipality. Although the Diocese has not explained the specific reasons for the change, appointments of this kind are part of the usual changes made by the diocese to meet the pastoral needs of its various parishes.
José Antonio Melgar arrived in Manilva in the summer of 2014, when he was appointed parish priest of Santa Ana de Manilva, San Luis de Sabinillas and Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación de Casares. Trained with the Salesians in Ronda and imbued with the spirit of Don Bosco, from his first days he stood out for an approachable, open style, particularly devoted to young people, qualities that would mark his entire time in the municipality.
Over these twelve years, the parish priest has been deeply connected with the town’s brotherhoods, achieving an unprecedented unity among the various confraternities. His involvement has been total, working closely and side by side with them at every event, procession and charity function they wished to organise, strengthening the associative and religious fabric of the whole municipality.
Beyond his strictly pastoral work, Melgar leaves a deep mark through his social commitment. One of the most important milestones was his promotion of initiatives such as the Tienda del Cielo and, very particularly, Cáritas Manilva, launched in 2022 with the aim of helping the municipality’s most vulnerable families, promoting equality, respect and a dignified life for those going through difficult situations. From its creation he served as president of the organisation, with the collaboration of numerous volunteers and the support of local institutions.
His charitable vocation has also reached beyond the boundaries of the municipality. As president of the NGO ACISS, he has led humanitarian expeditions to Ghana for years and has stood out for his intense work as a missionary in Sierra Leone, travelling with doctors and healthcare staff from Málaga hospitals to carry out surgical operations, transport medicines and train local professionals in hospitals run by the Salesian community. He has combined this altruistic work throughout this time with his daily work in the parishes of Manilva, Sabinillas and Casares.
This impeccable career and dedication earned him a moving institutional tribute at the end of 2025. On 16 December of that year, coinciding with the celebration of his 25 years as a priest, the mayor of Manilva, Mario Jiménez, attended the commemorative mass to present him, on behalf of the whole Town Hall, with a plaque of thanks for his then 11 years of tireless service and dedication to the town.
From September a new chapter will begin for the municipality’s parishes. José Carlos Huete Arquero will be the new parish priest of Santa Ana de Manilva, while Luis Miguel Aguilar Castillo will take charge of San Luis de Sabinillas, with the addition of Rev. Miguel Chacón Vílchez as parish vicar for Manilva, Casares and Estepona.
With this change, a twelve-year chapter comes to an end, leaving a very positive memory among many residents. Although pastoral changes are part of the Church’s ordinary organisation, José Antonio Melgar’s departure has caused a feeling of sorrow among many of the faithful, who see off a priest who won the affection of the municipality thanks to his approachability, his social commitment, his close alliance with the confraternities and his dedication both inside and outside the parish.
Best of luck to José Antonio Melgar in his new chapter; we will miss him greatly in the municipality.
