Archbishop of Maceió, Alagoas

Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Antônio Muniz Fernandes, O. Carm., currently Bishop of Guarabira, as the new Archbishop of Maceió in Brazil. This followed the pope’s acceptance of the resignation of Archbishop José Carlos Melo, C.M., because of age.

Bishop Antônio Muniz Fernandes, O. Carm., was born in Princesa Isabel, Paraíba in Brazil on August 11, 1952. He completed elementary and secondary studies at the Carmelite minor seminary Nossa Senhora do Carmo in Camocim de São Felix.

He made his profession of Simple Vows on February 20, 1976 and was ordained a priest on May 24, 1980. In the years 1983-1986 he was a student at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he earned a Licentiate in Biblical Theology. He completed some studies in Jerusalem.

 

He was Director of Novices in Camocim de São Felix and Councilor of the Carmelite Province of Pernambuco. From 1990 he was the Prior Provincial and taught Sacred Scripture at the Istituto Filosofico-Teologico in the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife and at the Theological Studium of the Cappuccins in Olinda.

He was nominated bishop on February 14, 1998 and was consecrated on the following May 24. That same day he took possession of the Diocese of Guarabira. As bishop, he has served in the following positions: Vice President of the Northeastern II Region of the CNBB (2003-2005), President of the Northeastern II Region of the CNBB (from 2005), Responsible for Prison Ministry.

 Av. D. Antonio Brandao 559,

57020-630 Maceio, AL,

BRAZIL

 

Date	Event	Title
11 Aug 1952	Born	Princesa Isabel
20 Feb 1976	Simple Professed	Order of Carmelites
09 Feb 1979	Solemn Professed	Order of Carmelites
24 May 1980	Ordained Priest	Order of Carmelites
4 Feb 1998	Appointed	Bishop of Guarabira, Paraiba, Brazil
24 May 1998	Ordained Bishop	Bishop of Guarabira, Paraiba, Brazil
22 Nov 2006	Appointed	Archbishop of Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
4 Feb 2007	Installed	Archbishop of Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil