Appointment of a new bishop: Fr. João Batista de Oliveira, SVD

On November 30, 2024, the Holy See announced that His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed our confrere, Fr. João Batista de Oliveira, SVD, as Bishop of the Diocese of Corumbá in Brazil, until now pastor of the Parish of Our Lady of Penha, in Alta Floresta d’Oeste, Rondônia, Brazil.

Curriculum Vitae:

Date of birth: July 9, 1963.
Place of birth: Rio Azul, Diocese of União da Vitória, Brazil.
Parents: Noé Ferraz and Emilia de Oliveira.
Novitiate: January 20, 1996, in Juquiá.
First Vows: January 5, 1997, in Juquiá.
Perpetual vows: March 25, 2000, in Diadema.
Priestly Ordination: February 24, 2001, in Rio Azul.
First assignment: Ecuador.

Since his ordination to the priesthood, he has lived in different provinces and exercised different ministries and responsibilities:

ECU (2000).
Pastor of S. Hno. Miguel Parish, Guasmo Sur (2004-2008).
BRS (2008).
Formation and propaedeutics.
BRC (2011).
Novice Master (2011-2016).
Provincial Superior (2017-2022).
Member and then President of the Executive Committee of the PANAM Zone (2020-2023).
Pastor of the Parish of Our Lady of Penha, Alta Floresta D’Oeste (2023-).

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Corumbá is a suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Campo Grande.
It was erected in 1910 from the Diocese of Cuiabá.
It has 65,062 square kilometers and 101,800 Catholics (in a population of 123,185).
It has 8 parishes, 17 priests (10 diocesan, 7 religious), 3 permanent deacons, 8 members of female religious institutes, 7 members of male religious institutes (2021).

Congratulations to Fr. João Batista de Oliveira. His appointment is an honor and recognition for Fr. João Batista and the Society of the Divine Word. As we thank God for his new gift to the Church, we wish God’s blessing on his life and mission, and that his wisdom will continue to be a source of guidance and inspiration for many.

Rome, November 30, 2024
Anselmo Ricardo Ribeiro, SVD
Superior General