Bishop André Vital Félix da Silva, SCJ, was ordained bishop on Saturday, July 8, 2017, by Bishop Virginio Bressanelli, SCJ, bishop of the Diocese of Neuquén (Argentina) and former Superior General of the SCJ Congregation (Dehonians). The new bishop is now preparing for his assignment in the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte, in the state of Ceará, Brazil.
The archbishop of Olinda and Recife, Archbishop Fernando Saburido, and the archbishop of Paraíba, Archbishop Manuel Delson Pedreira da Cruz, were the bishops who, together with Bishop Virginio, conferred the Sacrament of Episcopal Orders on Bishop André in a ceremony concelebrated by many other bishops, priests and ecclesiastical authorities. Many friends and family members were present, as were religious from various congregations at the ceremony that took place at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in the district of Boa Vista in Recife.
In his first words as bishop, Bishop André Vital praised God for every person present in his life, especially at this time. “Today, I am even more aware of the responsibility of not betraying Jesus and the Church,” he said. “And I ask you to pray for me because prayer brings us all together in fixing our eyes on Jesus, the one who saves us,” he concluded, referring to the motto he chose for his episcopate: “Aspicientes in lesum.”
The date of canonical possession of the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte by Bishop André Vital will be July 29, 2017 at 6 p.m. in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Conception.
