Goan Catholics rejoice over new approachable auxiliary bishop

Apr 19, 2024

PANAJI: Catholics in Goa say Pope Francis has given them an “approachable pastor” who is “an epitome of faithful servant” as their new auxiliary bishop.

The Pope on April 6 appointed Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes, who is the current director of the Pastoral Institute of St Pius X at Old Goa, as the auxiliary bishop of Goa and Daman.

Cardinal Filippe Neri Ferrao, archbishop of Goa and Daman, said the clergy, religious and the laity “extend our warmest felicitations” to the bishop-elect. The cardinal prayed for God’s grace to accompany his auxiliary “in all his endeavours, granting him wisdom, courage and compassion.”

Fr Simião, born on December 21, 1967, to late Victor Fernandes and Ana Santana Costa, brings with him a wealth of experience and dedication to his new role. Having studied philosophy and theology at the Patriarchal Seminary in Rachol, Goa, he was ordained a priest on May 10, 1993, for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. He furthered his studies, obtaining a License at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and a doctorate in Biblical Theology at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth in Pune, Maharashtra.

Throughout his ministry, Fr Simião has exhibited great pastoral care, serving in various capacities including parish administration and teaching sacred Scripture. Noteworthy is his role as director of the St Pius X Pastoral Institute since 2018, where he has introduced innovative sessions for the ongoing formation of priests in Goa.

Among those who have had the privilege of working with Fr Simião, the consensus is clear: he embodies humility, dedication, and love in all his endeavours. Fr Joephil Dias, who underwent diaconate under his guidance, praises him as a “faithful servant” and a person of dignity, courage, and kindness.

Similarly, Fr Bolmax Pereira, parish priest of St Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim, and assistant Professor of Botany at St Joseph Vaz College, lauds him as a man with a heart of gold, highlighting his approachability and pastoral concern for those under his care.

As Fr Simião assumes his new role as auxiliary bishop, the Catholic community in Goa and Daman eagerly anticipates his leadership, guided by God’s grace and wisdom, in the ongoing synodal journey of the Church. — Matters India