He raised the diocese from, within the category of Archdiocese, dismembering it from the Archdiocese of Ribeirão Preto. Bishop Dom Antonio Emídio Vilar becomes a metropolitan archbishop of the new archdiocese. It is the first archdiocese created throughout the Catholic world by the new Pope, since he was elected, on the 8th. In the same act, Bishop Dom Antonio Emídio Vilar was appointed metropolitan archbishop of the place. The information is contained in the Vatican Bulletin published this Thursday (22).
“It is the conclusion of a process started in 2010, when the bishops asked the creation of the Archdiocese. It is a joy to see that the whole process, which was sent by Pope Francis, is now materialized by Pope Leo XIV,” says Dom Vilar.
Once installed, the Rio Preto Archdiocese has attribution on the dioceses of Barretos, Catanduva, Jales and Votuporanga, all in the northern region of São Paulo. The official installation mass of the new structure of the Catholic Church in the region is scheduled for July 9 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
According to the Code of Canon Law, ecclesiastical provinces, as the archdiocese are called, have the mission of promoting a common pastoral action among neighboring dioceses. “As the number of parishes and dioceses always grows, it is urgent to adapt some structures, to facilitate pastoral action among bishops. This includes reciprocal help that, of course, already happens in practice,” explained the new archbishop.
On June 29, at a Vatican ceremony, Archbishop Dom Vilar will receive from the hands of Pope Leo XIV the Pallium, a liturgical clothing composed of a wool blanket used in the Catholic Church to symbolize the shepherd who carries the sheep over his shoulders. It will be the first meeting of the nominee with the new pontiff. The Pallium will be used for the first time during the archdiocese installation mass.
Who is the new Brazilian archbishop
Dom Antonio Emídio Vilar was born in November 1957 in Guardinha, district of São Sebastião de Paraíso, still newborn, the family moved to Batatais, in the interior of São Paulo. Before being ordained elder in 1986, he studied a master’s degree in theology at the Salesian Pontifical University in.
In 2008, Dom Vilar was appointed bishop of the diocese of São Luiz de Cáceres (MT) and, in 2016, took office as bishop of the diocese of São João da Boa Vista. From January 2022, he became the diocesan bishop of São José do Rio Preto. The diocese of St. Joseph of Rio Preto, now Archdiocese, was created in January 1929 by Pope Pius XI.
In a statement, the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) welcomed the elevation of the diocese of São José do Rio Preto as Archdiocese. “In the clergy, the consecrated religious life and all the people of God we renew our communion with the walk of this particular church, with votes that the elevation of the Archdiocese may be synonymous with greater fruits in evangelizing action,” says the text signed by the President, Dom Jaime Spengler, and other archbishops.
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Nátaly Tenório
