Redemptorist Father Fernando José Monteiro Guimarães, named Bishop of Garanhuns, Pernambuco, Brazill

Today the Holy Father nominated as bishop of the diocese of Garanhuns, Pernambuco, Brazil, Father Fernando José Monteiro Guimarães, C.Ss.R., of the Province of Rio de Janeiro.

Padre Guimarães was born on July 19, 1946 in Recife, Brazil. He attended the Redemptorist Minor Seminary at Garanhuns and did his higher studies at the Redemptorist Seminary at Campo Grande. He completed his philosophy and theology studies at the Redemptorist Major Seminary at Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, obtaining a licence in philosophy at Campus Don Bosco at São João del Rei. He earned a Doctorate in Moral Theology at the Alphonsianum Academy in 1989 and a licence in Canon Law from the Pontifical Atheneum (University) of the Holy Cross.

He made his first profession as a Redemptorist on January 25, 1965 and perpetual profession on December 13, 1969. He was ordained on August 15, 1971.

Padre Fernando has lived in Rome and worked in the Vatican for many years. At the present time he is serving as Capo Ufficio of the Congregation for the Clergy. Other duties include being a member of the Special Commission that handles declarations of nullity of Sacred Orders and of dispensation from the obligations of the diaconal and presbyterial states; Consultor for the cause of saints, and a judge of the Appeals Tribunal of the Rome Vicariate.

Father Guimarães will be ordained bishop at Sant’Alfonso, Rome, on March 31, 2008. Principal Consecrator will be Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, O.F.M, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. Co-consecrators are not known at this time.

The diocese of Garanhuns, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife, has according to the Annuario Pontificio approximately 550,000 Catholics, 27 parishes, 41 priests, 29 male religious, 94 female religious.