Bishop Francis Serrao, S.J. is the current serving Bishop of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Shimoga The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shimoga ( la, Shimogaen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Shimoga in the Ecclesiastical province of Bangalore in India. History * 14 November 1988: Established as Diocese of Shimoga from the Metropolitan ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Early life and education

Francis was born on 15 August 1959 in

Moodabidri Moodabidri ( kn, ಮೂಡುಬಿದಿರೆ ''Mūḍubidire''; also called Mudbidri, Moodbidre and Bedra), is a town and taluk in Dakshina Kannada district. It lies 34 km northeast of the district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karna ...

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, India to Late Mr. Piedade Serrao and Mrs. Gracy Mary Serrao. he Masters in Theology from Vidyajyoti College of Theology, New Delhi.

Priesthood

Francis joined

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

in year 1979. He completed his philosophy and theology at the Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He was Ordained a Catholic Priest for the Society of Jesus on 30 April 1992. He served as a Rector of

St. Aloysius College (Mangalore) St Aloysius College is a private, coeducational, Jesuit college located in Mangaluru, Karnataka, India. With a 2016–2017 enrollment of 4183 undergraduate students and 1532 postgraduate students and 69 research scholars, the college specializ ...

. He has served as a Superior of the Jesuit Mission in Bajapur and Provincial Superior of Karnataka Jesuit Province.

Episcopate

Francis was Appointed Bishop of Shimoga, India on 19 March 2014 by

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

and Ordained on 7 May 2014 by

Salvatore Pennacchio Salvatore Pennacchio (born 7 September 1952 in Marano, Italy) is a Catholic archbishop and diplomat of the Holy See, currently president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Biography He received his priestly ordination on 18 September ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Serrao, Francis Living people 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in India 1959 births 20th-century Indian Jesuits Jesuit bishops Bishops appointed by Pope Francis People from Dakshina Kannada district 21st-century Indian Jesuits