PANAJI:
Pope Francis
on Saturday appointed
Fr. Simião Purificação Fernandes
as the
Auxiliary Bishop
of the
Archdiocese
of Goa and Daman.
Fernandes, 56, will assist Archbishop and
Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao
in his duties in the archdiocese.
The appointment was made public in the Vatican at 12 noon (3.30 pm IST) Saturday.
Bishop-Elect Simião Purificação Fernandes was born in Chandor, Goa, and has been a priest for the past three decades.
He is presently the Director of the
Pastoral Institute St. Pius X
at Old Goa and the Convenor of the Committee for the Ongoing Formation of Priests.
For the most part of his priestly life he was involved in the organization of key apostolates in the Archdiocese, as Secretary of the Diocesan Commission for Liturgy, Joint Secretary of the Diocesan Commission for Biblical Apostolate and Coordinator of the Apostolate of Ecumenism.
Fernandes taught Sacred Scripture and Pastoral Theology at the Seminary of Rachol and worked as an Assistant Parish Priest in the parishes of Aldona and Taleigão as well as a Parochial Administrator in the parishes of Marcela and São Pedro.
He was also recently appointed as the convenor of the Coordinating Team for the Diocesan Phase of the Synod 2023-2024 and as a Member of the Committee for the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St. Francis Xavier.
“It is with joy and gratitude to God that the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman hails the appointment of Rev. Fr. Simião Purificação Fernandes as its Auxiliary Bishop," stated Cardinal Ferrao.
"We pray that the ministry of the Bishop-Elect may be fruitful, his leadership inspired and his decisions guided by the Holy Spirit, following in the footsteps of the greatest Servant-Leader, Jesus Christ. Mindful that Bishop-Elect Simião has been an acknowledged guiding force in the ongoing Synodal Journey of the Church in Goa, we welcome him joyfully, ready to ‘journey together in communion, participation and mission," Cardinal Ferrao added.
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