Just in | Cabo Delgado: Pope Francis transfers bishop of Pemba to Brazil

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Just in | Cabo Delgado: Pope Francis transfers bishop of Pemba to Brazil

4:24 CAT | 11 Feb 2021

File photo. DW

Pope Francis has transferred the bishop of Pemba, D. Luiz Fernando Lisboa, to the Brazilian diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, also granting him the title of Archbishop ad personam, [note from the editor: An Archbishop in persona holds the title as an honor bestowed upon him by the Pope, which means that the archiepiscopal dignity is conferred on them individually and not on their diocese].

“The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa, C.P., as bishop of the diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, transferring him from the see of Pemba, Mozambique, and at the same time granting him the title of Archbishop ad personam,” reads a note issued this Thursday by the Press Office of the Holy See .

A diocesan source told Lusa on Thursday that , Luiz Fernando Lisboa is in Brazil and should return to Pemba at the end of February, to say goodbye.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of Pemba.

.D. Luiz Fernando Lisboa stood out, in recent years, in defending the populations of the province of Cabo Delgado, in northern Mozambique, the target of violence by groups that declare themselves linked to the Islamic State.

The 65-year-old Brazilian missionary from Rio de Janeiro is a member of the Passionist congregation, where he graduated, before being sent to Mozambique in 2001.

Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Pemba on June 12, 2013.

The bishop met with the Pope last December, in the Vatican, before heading to Brazil, for health reasons.

The Diocese of Cachoeiro, in the State of Espírito Santo, eastern Brazil, had been vacant since November 7, 2018.

The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) responded to this nomination with a note released online.

“We praise your missionary presence as a bishop in Pemba, a diocese located in a region marked by war that has already killed more than 2,000 people and more than 500,000 displacements. Especially in Cabo Delgado, a constant target of attacks. We also highlight your contribution to the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, serving as secretary-general and coordinator of the Social Department,” said the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil on their address to the new archbishop.

Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa, C.P., was born on 23 December 1955 in Valença, in the diocese of the same name, in the State of Rio de Janeiro. He carried out his studies in philosophy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Curitiba (1977-1980), and in theology at the Instituto Teológico São Paulo-ITESP (1980-1984). He specialised in missiology and in liturgy at the Facultade de Teologia Nossa Senhora da Assunção in São Paulo.

On 23 January 1977 he gave his religious vows in the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (Passionists) and on 10 December 1983 he received priestly ordination.

Within his Congregation in Brazil he has held the following roles: director of the minor seminary and of students of theology; parish vicar; parish priest; local superior; bursar; deputy Master of Novices; and supervisor for formation.

In 2001 he was sent as a missionary to the diocese of Pemba in Mozambique, where he carried out his ministry as parish vicar, parish priest and formator in the Passionist seminary. He returned to Brazil in 2010, and the following year he was appointed as parish priest of Santa Teresinha de Lisieux in Colombo, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Curitiba.

On 12 June 2013 he was appointed as bishop of Pemba, Mozambique, and received episcopal ordination the following 24 August.

Since 2018 he has served as secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique and coordinator of the Social Department of the same Conference.

Source: Ecclesia / Lusa / Press Office of the Holy See