Erection of the diocese of Alto Molócuè, Mozambique, and appointment of first bishop
Appointment of bishop of Fuzhou, China
Erection of the diocese of Alto Molócuè, Mozambique, and appointment of first bishop
The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Alto Molócuè, Mozambique, with territory taken from the dioceses of Gurúè and Quelimane, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Nampula.
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Estêvão Ângelo Fernando of the clergy of Quelimane as first bishop of the diocese of Alto Molócuè, Mozambique.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Estêvão Ângelo Fernando was born on 17 June 1974, in Inhassunge, in the diocese of Quelimane. After attending the Santo Agostinho Preparatory Seminary of Quelimane, he entered the Santo Agostinho Philosophical Seminary of Matola and then the Saint Pius X Theological Seminary of Maputo, obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
He was ordained a priest on 24 June 2001.
After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar and then parish priest of Mocuba (2001-2006), member of the Commission of Southern Africa for Refugees (2002-2006), spiritual director of the Xaverian Apostolic Movement (2003-2010), rector of the Santo Agostinho Preparatory Seminary of Quelimane (2007-2010), chair of the Communication Commission of Quelimane (2010-2011), and collaborator in the parish of Santa Maria Maggiore di Cordenons, diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, Italy (2011-2014). He was awarded a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Theological Faculty of Triveneto in Padua (2014), and went on to serve as collaborator in the parish of San Francesco d’Assisi in Pordenone, diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, Italy (2015-2019) and formator in the Santo Agostinho Philosophical Seminary of Matola (2020-2021). He obtained a doctorate in pastoral theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.
Since 2022 he has been formator and bursar of the Seminário Filosófico São Carlos Lwanga in Nampula.
Statistical data
The territory of the new diocese of Alto Molócuè (Molócuè Superioris) is made up of the following civil districts: Mocubela, Pebane, Gilé, Mulevala and Alto Molócuè.
The new ecclesiastical circumscription is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Nampula. The see of the diocese is the city of Alto Molócuè. The parish Church dedicated to Nossa Senhora Rainha do Mundo will become the Cathedral Church of the new diocese.
The following are the statistical data regarding both the mother dioceses (Gurúè and Quelimane) after dismemberment, and the newly-erected diocese of Alto Molócuè:
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Gurúè after division
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Quelimane after division
|
Alto Molócuè
|
Area
|
18,578 km2
|
57,798 km2
|
28,632 km2
|
Population
|
1,255,736
|
3,440,268
|
1,199,649
|
Catholics
|
559,783
|
1,366,593
|
487,465
|
Parishes
|
12
|
29
|
14
|
Diocesan priests
|
24
|
52
|
21
|
Religious priests
|
9
|
21
|
11
|
Seminarians
|
18
|
45
|
16
|
Men religious (other than priests)
|
0
|
7
|
2
|
Women religious
|
37
|
98
|
26
|
Appointment of bishop of Fuzhou, China
Today, Thursday 23 January 2025, Bishop Joseph Cai Bingrui took canonical possession of Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China, appointed by the Holy Father, having approved his candidature in the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, on 15 January 2025, transferring him from the diocese of Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Joseph Cai Bingrui was born on 15 September 1966 to a Catholic family. Between 1985 and 1992 he carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Sheshan Seminary, Shanghai. On 15 August 1992 he received priestly ordination. In 1993 he was elected diocesan administrator of the diocese of Xiamen. On 19 November 2007 he was appointed bishop of the same circumscription.
