The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ribeirão Preto () is an

archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

located in the city of

Ribeirão Preto Ribeirão Preto (Portuguese pronunciation: Help:IPA/Portuguese, �ibejˈɾɐ̃w ˈpɾetu is a city and a metropolitan area located in the northeastern region of São Paulo (state), São Paulo state, Brazil. Ribeirão Preto is the eighth-la ...

in Brazil. Bishop Moacir Silva, until then serving as the Bishop of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of São José dos Campos The Roman Catholic Diocese of São José dos Campos () is a diocese located in the city of São José dos Campos, in the ecclesiastical province of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Aparecida, Aparecida in Brazil. History * January 30, 1981: Establi ...

, was named to serve as the next Metropolitan Archbishop-elect of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ribeirão Preto by

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. He is the tenth ordinary and eighth Archbishop, and succeeds Archbishop Joviano de Lima Júnior, S.S.S., a Pope Benedict appointee who had died in office in June 2012. Silva was born on July 16, 1954, in São José dos Campos, Brazil, in Sao Paulo State, the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of São José dos Campos which he eventually headed. He completed preparatory studies at the

Minor Seminary A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Priesthood (Catholic Church), Catholic priests. They are generally ...

of Taubate, Brazil, and then completed his undergraduate

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

studies at the Bom Jesus Seminary of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Aparecida The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Aparecida () is an archdiocese located in the city of Aparecida in Brazil. History * 19 April 1958: Established as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aparecida from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of São Paulo and Dio ...

in Aparecida, Brazil. Archbishop-elect Silva then completed his graduate studies in

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

at the Theological Institute Sagrado Coração de Jesus of Taubate. He is trained in

Canon Law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

(the laws of the Catholic Church), having obtained the

Licentiate of Canon Law Licentiate of Canon Law (; JCL) is the title of an advanced graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law. Licentiate is the title of a person who ...

(J.C.L.) from the

Pontifical Faculty A pontifical university or athenaeum is an ecclesiastical university established or approved directly by the Holy See, composed of three main ecclesiastical faculties (Theology, Philosophy and Canon Law) and at least one other faculty. These acade ...

of Theology Nossa Senhora da Assunção in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sao Paulo in

Sao Paulo, Brazil SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Serb Autonomous Regions (''Srpska autonomna oblast'', SAO), during the breakup of ...

, and having also graduated from the

Pontifical Lateran University The Pontifical Lateran University (; ), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. The university ...

Rome, Italy Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. He was ordained a priest on December 6, 1986, and was incardinated in the Roman Catholic Diocese of São José dos Campos. He then held the following positions: Diocesan Youth Pastoral Coordinator (1983-1986); Diocesan Coordinator of

Pastoral Care ''The Book of Pastoral Rule'' (Latin: ''Liber Regulae Pastoralis'', ''Regula Pastoralis'' or ''Cura Pastoralis'' — sometimes translated into English ''Pastoral Care'') is a treatise on the responsibilities of the clergy written by Pope Greg ...

in Health (1986);

Parochial Vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...

(Associate Pastor, or

Curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' () of souls of a parish. In this sense, ''curate'' means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy who are as ...

) of the Diocesan

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

Parish (1986-1988); Parish

Pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...

, Coração de Jesus Parish Church (1988-1993); a Member of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors (1991-2003); Diocesan Coordinator of Pastoral Care of the

Family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

(1993-1999); Parish

Administrator Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum * N ...

of the Diocesan Cathedral Parish (1992-1993); Vicar General of the Diocese (1993-2003); Director of the School for the Diaconal Training Program (1992-2004); Judge of the Interdiocesan Tribunal at the

in Aparecida (since 1993); Parish Pastor of the Diocesan Cathedral Parish São Dimas (1993-2004); Diocesan Administrator (2003-2004). On October 20, 2004, he was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of São José dos Campos by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

in the last months of his pontificate. He received episcopal ordination on December 11, 2004. From 2008, he has served as a member of the Brazilian National Episcopal Commission for Ecclesiastical Courts of Second Instance (of Appeal), and in 2011 he became Vice Chairman of the Regional Bishops' Conference of the State of Sao Paulo.

History

* 7 June 1908: Established as Diocese of Ribeirão Preto from the Diocese of São Paulo * 19 April 1958: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ribeirão Preto

Bishops

* Bishops of Ribeirão Preto (Roman Rite) ** Bishop Alberto José Gonçalves (1908.12.05 – 1945.03.06) ** Bishop

Manoel da Silveira d’Elboux Manoel may refer to: People * Manoel (name), a given name and surname * Manoel (footballer, born 1953) (1953–2015), Brazilian football forward * Manoel (footballer, born 1978), Brazilian football forward * Manoel (footballer, born 1989), Brazilia ...

(1946.02.22 – 1950.08.19), appointed Archbishop of Curitiba, Parana ** Bishop Luis do Amaral Mousinho (1952.03.18 – 1958.04.19 ''see below'') * Arch

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

s of Ribeirão Preto (Roman rite) ** Archbishop Luis do Amaral Mousinho (''see above'' 1958.04.19 – 1962.04.24) ** Archbishop

Agnelo Rossi Agnelo Rossi (born Aniello Rossi; 4 May 1913 – 21 May 1995) was a Brazilian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals. Biography Aniello (later changed to "Agnelo") Rossi was born on 4 May 1913 in Joa ...

(1962.09.06 – 1964.11.01), appointed Archbishop of São Paulo (

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

in 1965) ** Archbishop Felix César da Cunha Vasconcellos, O.F.M. (1965.03.25 – 1972.07.12) ** Archbishop Bernardo José Bueno Miele (1972.07.12 – 1981.12.22) ** Archbishop Romeu Alberti (1982.06.03 – 1988.08.06) ** Archbishop Arnaldo Ribeiro (1988.12.28 – 2006.04.05) ** Archbishop Joviano de Lima Júnior, S.S.S. (2006.04.05 – 2012.06.21) ** Archbishop Moacir Silva (2013.04.24 - present); formerly, Bishop of the

Coadjutor Archbishop

* Bernardo José Bueno Miele (1967-1972)

Auxiliary Bishop

* Manuel da Silveira d’Elboux (1940-1946), appointed Bishop here

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

* João Bergese, appointed Bishop of Guarulhos, Sao Paulo in 1981 * Diógenes da Silva Matthes, appointed Bishop of Franca, Sao Paulo in 1971 *

Ilson de Jesus Montanari Ilson de Jesus Montanari (born 18 July 1959) is a Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been secretary of the Congregation for Bishops since 12 October 2013 and Vice Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church since 1 May 2020. Biography Mo ...

, appointed titular archbishop and Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops in 2013

Suffragan dioceses

* Diocese of Franca * Diocese of Jaboticabal * Diocese of São João da Boa Vista

Sources

GCatholic.org

Archdiocese website (Portuguese)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ribeirao Preto Roman Catholic dioceses in Brazil Ribeirao Preto Christian organizations established in 1908 Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century 1908 establishments in Brazil