Appointment of bishop of Grajaú, Brazil

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Giuseppe Luigi Spiga, of the clergy of the metropolitan archdiocese of Cagliari, Italy, fidei donum in the diocese of Viana, Brazil, until now vicar general of the same diocese and rector of the São Bonifácio Major Seminary, as bishop of the diocese of Grajaú, Brazil.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Giuseppe Luigi Spiga was born on 29 July 1972 in Serramanna, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Cagliari, Italy. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Sardinia in Cagliari.

He was ordained a priest on 3 October 1998 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Cagliari.

After ordination, he held the following offices: vice rector of the seminary (1996-2002), episcopal vicar of the diocesan Office for Social Problems (1998-2003), director of the School of Faith and Political Awareness (1998-2003), spiritual director of the API Colf (1998-2003), and parish priest of San Giorgio Vescovo (2003-2008).

Since 2008 he has served as a fidei donum priest of the diocese of Viana – MA (Brazil), where he has held the following offices: parish vicar of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré in Viana – MA (2008-2009), parish vicar (2009) and parish priest of São Sebastião in Matinha – MA (2009-2015), coordinator and episcopal vicar of the Área Pastoral dos Lagos (2013-2015), spiritual supervisor for the Pastoral Care of Sobriety (2013-2015), ecclesiastical supervisor for Youth Pastoral Care (2013-2015), diocesan coordinator of the Priority IV Community of Communities (2013-2015), episcopal vicar for Vocational Pastoral Care, and administrator of the diocese of Viana – MA (2019-2020).

Since 2015, he has served as rector of the São Bonifácio Major Seminary in São Luís – MA and, since 2019, vicar general of the diocese of Viana. Since 2014 he has also held the role of administrative director of the Instituto de Estudos Superiores do Maranhão – Faculdade Católica.