Pope appoints Fr Simião as Auxiliary Bishop of Goa

PANJIM: Pope Francis has appointed 57-year-old Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes of the clergy of Goa and Daman Archdiocese, as the Auxiliary Bishop of Goa and Daman. 

This appointment was made public in Rome on Saturday, April 6, 2024. 

Fr Fernandes is presently the Director of St Pius X Pastoral Institute, Old Goa, according to a press release by Dr Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General, CCBI.

Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes was born on December 21, 1967, in Chandor. He was ordained a priest on May 10, 1993, for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. He studied Philosophy and Theology at Patriarchal Seminary, Rachol. He obtained a License at Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and a Doctorate in Biblical Theology at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune.

After his priestly ordination, Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes was Assistant of Aldona (1993-1996); Assistant Parish Priest in Taleigao (1996-1998); in charge of pastoral care at Parish of Sao Pedro (1996-1997); Parish Administrator of Parish of Holy Family, Marcela (2006-2013); External Professor of Scared Scripture in Patriarchal Seminary, Rachol (2005-2018) and in charge of the Apostolate for Ecumenism (2006-2018).

Since 2018 until now he is Director of St Pius X Pastoral Institute. Since 2021 until now he is coordinator of ongoing formation of clergy, and since 2023 he is co–coordinator of the diocesan phase of the Synod in 2023. He is also the Director of Communio of Goa Archdiocese.

Reacting to the appointment, Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, on behalf of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman said, “It is with joy and gratitude to God that the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman hails the appointment of Rev Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes as its Auxiliary Bishop. With hearts uplifted in thanksgiving, we, the Clergy, the Religious and the Faithful of this Archdiocese, extend our warmest felicitations to Fr Simião and pray that God’s grace may accompany him in all his future endeavours, granting him wisdom, courage and compassion, as he takes on the mantle of an Auxiliary Bishop to assist our Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão in shepherding the flock entrusted to his pastoral care.”

“We pray that the ministry of the Bishop-Elect may be fruitful, his leadership inspired and his decisions guided by the Holy Spirit, following in the footsteps of the greatest Servant-Leader, Jesus Christ. Mindful that Bishop-Elect Simião has been an acknowledged guiding force in the ongoing Synodal Journey of the Church in Goa, we welcome him joyfully, ready to ‘journey together in communion, participation and mission’,” he added